


Whatever Happened to Draco Malfoy?

by seekeronthepath



Series: Correspondence [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Character Study, Gen, HP: EWE, Queer Character, Self-Discovery, Slice of Life, after book 7, but there is a middle ground, lots of slices of life, no one gets off scot-free, queer representation in the wizarding world
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-03-01 12:31:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 28,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13294935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seekeronthepath/pseuds/seekeronthepath
Summary: Last time we saw Draco, he was leaving Hogwarts' grounds with a group of Death Eaters, after Dumbledore's murder by Severus Snape. Now the war is over, and he, like everyone else, has to try to make a life in the changed landscape of the wizarding world, and learn to live with his experiences





	1. Restitution

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Français available: [Qu'est-il advenu de Drago Malefoy ?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17328695) by [Matteic_FR (Matteic)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Matteic/pseuds/Matteic_FR)



"I am truly sorry that you were hurt as a result of my actions," Draco said, as sincerely as he could. "I didn't intend...the necklace was chosen by the Dark - no, dammit - You-Know-Who, and I did my best to prevent... Oh, fuck it." He pinched the bridge of his nose, avoiding his own gaze in the mirror. "Right. Let's try this again."

\-----

_To Tognuk, account manager of the Malfoy Heir vault at Gringotts Bank, Draco Malfoy, Heir Malfoy, sends greetings_

_This letter entitles the bearer, Miss Katherine Bell or her representative, to withdraw a sum of_ two hundred and forty-eight galleons, ten sickles, fourteen knuts  _from the Malfoy Heir vault._

_Draco Malfoy_

_\-----_

"Aunt Andromeda," Draco said formally, approaching her desk with a thick sheaf of parchment in his hands. "I have been attempting to...reconcile the Malfoy accounts, and I have encountered something of a difficulty."

Andromeda raised her eyebrows, nodding at a chair and holding out her hand. "Surely the totals aren't out of whack - Cissy was always excellent at mathematics."

Draco sat, silently passing her the papers as he tried, yet again, to wrap his head around the idea of his elegant, stately mother ever being called  _Cissy._

Andromeda skimmed the first page, flipped to the last, hummed a little, then began to look through them all more carefully. "...I believe I see the problem," she finally agreed. "All your major business partners and middle-men are on your list of prohibited persons, aren't they?"

Draco nodded. "I can't contact them under the terms of my deferred sentence," he replied. "But House Malfoy cannot afford to leave business unattended for the year or more I will be under these restrictions, and nor can we afford to entirely alienate our old allies."

"I'll make some enquiries," Andromeda agreed. 

\-----

Another letter from the DMLE arrived over breakfast. Draco didn't manage to get it off the table before Andromeda noticed.

"Oh for goodness' sake," she muttered. "Dora,  _do_  remind your superiors of the benefits of organisation? There's no need for Draco to be getting all these interview and testimony requests in dribs and drabs. Just because he's obligated to comply doesn't mean he's not due the courtesy of a compiled schedule."

Tonks (she had given Draco a rather deadly look when he'd attempted to call her Nymphadora) rolled her eyes, putting little Teddy up over her shoulder and patting his back. "We're run off our feet, Mum, there's so many active warrants you wouldn't believe it."

"Darling, you forgot - " Andromeda sighed as Teddy spat up all over Tonks' work robes, her warning a little too late. "Turn around, I'll get it."

" _Accio_  stain cloth," Draco said, being well-familiarised with the results of Teddy's messes by now. It sailed into his hands, and he passed it over to clean up what  _tergeo_  missed. "It's fine, Aunt Andromeda," he promised. "It's no great inconvenience."

"Who are they asking you about this time?" Andromeda asked. "And how much notice are they giving you?"

Draco opened the letter and scanned it. "Tomorrow afternoon, and...oh for Merlin's sake, I don't recognise any of these names!"

Tonks shrugged, passing Teddy off to Andromeda. "They'll see if you recognise the faces then, I guess. I'd better go." She got up, and yelled up the stairs, "Dad, I'm going! Are you ready?"

Draco sighed.

\-----

Professor McGonagall was waiting at the school gates when Draco arrived, on the first day of his court-appointed assistance with the Hogwarts repairs. "Mr Malfoy," she said, surprisingly warmly, holding out her hand. "Welcome back to Hogwarts."

 _Am I?_  Draco shook her hand with an awkward thank you. "I'm surprised you're meeting me yourself, Professor," he admitted as they began the walk to the castle. "I'm sure you must be busy, managing the repairs, as well as the usual summer's work."

McGonagall smiled a little. "I am, but I've always enjoyed a walk for clearing the head," she replied. "And you're something of a special case."

"..how so?"

"There are two main groups contributing to the repairs," McGonagall explained, settling into lecture mode that had Draco feeling oddly nostalgic. "There are the volunteers - community members who feel a love for Hogwarts and want to see it returned to its full majesty before the start of term. And there are the convicted - those members of Voldemort's allies and followers who were convicted of more minor crimes, and are here to fulfil their sentence."

Draco frowned, daring to interrupt. "Surely there is no question that I belong in the latter category?"

McGonagall glanced at him and raised her eyebrows. "Can you think of no reasons why you might not?"

Draco flushed, looking away. "...I'm a marked Death Eater?" he guessed.

"Certainly not!" McGonagall's forthright tone made Draco stare in surprise. "No, Mr Malfoy, we are reluctant to place you with the convicted because you are  _young_. And don't try to tell me you're not, when I've been teaching here for more than twice your lifespan. And we are reluctant also because you were coerced in the first place, and have been cooperative since. Because you represent the leaders who lost the war for their side, when those leaders are imprisoned and unavailable to hear their displeasure. And, to be frank, because we remember you having a terrible habit of annoying people when you were younger, and the implicit threats that kept you safe then are no longer at your disposal."

Draco hadn't thought of that.  _Why_  hadn't he thought of that? Of course the Snatchers would hate him. Of course he was at risk from them. But he'd been so caught up in worrying about the people on the  _other_  side of the war, he hadn't even considered the collection of enemies that now faced him. "And you...would rather I not be targeted?" he said tentatively.

"By either group," McGonagall agreed immediately. She paused, and her tone softened. "Mr Malfoy, whatever your crimes, you were missed here. I was not the only teacher concerned for you, either. A young man may make mistakes, when he is surrounded by people such as you were forced to tolerate. But I, and others, hope to see you grow into a  _good_  man, one who is considered and compassionate in his actions. And you will not be able to do so unless we give you the chance."

There was a long silence as Draco tried to absorb that astonishing speech. "...who will I be working with, then?" he eventually asked.

McGonagall gave a small, approving nod. "You will be working with Professor Tiresias Smethwyck, Severus Snape's replacement as Head of Slytherin House, and my own replacement as Transfiguration Professor." She paused briefly. "...you may find he is able to give you some news of your friends; I know you cannot have had much."


	2. Potential

Professor Tiresias Smethwyck was...not what Draco had expected. Hearing his role in the school, Draco had automatically pictured a cross between Professor McGonagall and Uncle Sev - someone stern, composed (and perhaps somewhat forbidding). Professor Tiresias Smethwyck was not any of those things.

He met them near the greenhouses, his long brown hair braided back, his flowing robes a rich green with a shifting blue brocade. His face was warm and open, and he smiled widely when he saw them both. "Minerva!" he called out, "and this must be Mr Malfoy! A pleasure to meet you, truly. I've heard a great deal about you."

Draco, feeling awkward, nodded politely. "Ah...not all bad, I hope?"

Professor Smethwyck laughed. "No, not all bad. You were much admired in your House, Mr Malfoy."

 

He kept up a friendly conversation about returning to Hogwarts, and the misadventures of the junior students, and his own time in Greece, and various other non-serious topics as they walked the corridors, making minor repairs along the way. Apparently McGonagall wanted to take advantage of the extra labour to make improvements, and see if she could reduce the chance of students getting lost. So Draco (as a recent ex-student), and Smethwyck (as someone who had recently come to the school after a long time away) were familiarising themselves with the corridors full of unused classrooms. The work was easy, sometimes boring and sometimes intriguing, but Smethwyck was  _baffling_.

"Are you sure you're a Slytherin?" Draco blurted out, sometime in the afternoon.

Smethwyck glanced at him, eyebrows raised, then wordlessly conjured cushions for a nearby window seat, gesturing Draco towards it. "Tell me, Mr Malfoy, what do you see as the defining characteristics of Slytherin House?"

Draco, feeling rather trapped, sat. "I suppose...cunning. The ability to manipulate people and circumstances to get what you want."

"Ah," Smethwyck said, "but is it the ability or the willingness that is more important? I have long considered our defining feature to be our  _drive_. That when a Slytherin fixes on a goal, they will bend their whole will and all their creativity to the task."

Draco hummed a little, conceding for now. He'd have to think about that later.

"You may be wondering what became of my drive, my ambition," Smethwyck continued, smiling a little. "After all, I left Britain twenty years ago and returned with very little to show for it, only to take up a position as a school teacher. I have had no astonishing career, no notable political impact, my past is not littered with sighing lovers...what have I been doing all my life?"

Draco was too polite to say so, but he couldn't help but agree.

Smethywyck nodded. "Mr Malfoy,  _this_  is what drove me," he said, and stood, muttering spells Draco didn't recognize and twirling his wand around himself. Or...herself? Before Draco's eyes, Smethwyck changed, his jaw softening, his figure shifting under the robes, his hands getting smaller.

"You...wanted to be able to transfigure yourself?" Draco asked. "Into a woman?"

Smethwyck smiled a little. "A woman, a man, or something in between," he-she-they agreed. "Since I was a child, I wanted to learn, and on my graduation, I went to the place in the world that is best known for human transfiguration - to animal, to plant, to object, or to a different human shape. I took the name Tiresias when I achieved my mastery - look up the myth, if you like - and since then, I have been exactly who I want to be, every single day."

Draco's eyes widened slightly. "Thank you..." sir? madam? "...professor," he said quietly. "You have given me much to think about."

\-----

_To Severus Snape, his godson Draco sends greetings and good wishes_

_I hope you will forgive my impertinence in writing to you this way, but I have no other trusted confidant, and they do say the dead tell no tales._

_...of course, now I have begun, I am overwhelmed with the many things I never said to you, and the questions I never asked you. But I will begin at the beginning, as you often instructed me, and continue from there to the end._

_Today, the new Head of Slytherin told me that, since his Transfiguration Mastery, he has been 'exactly who I want to be'. The phrase struck me, perhaps because I have seen very few achieve it. Or maybe, achieve it knowingly. I...find myself wanting that. Is it a selfish goal? I don't think I have ever considered who I_ want _to be. I have always known who I am, Heir Malfoy. Someday, Lord Malfoy. All my life, I have been trained and prepared for that responsibility. But...perhaps it does not follow that I must be Lord Malfoy in the pattern of my father and grandfather. Perhaps I may be Lord Malfoy_ and _someone that I want to be. I have been raised to pursue advancement and honour for the Malfoy family. But today, I am the only Malfoy not in jail, and in a year, all three of us will be. While I understand the purpose of my delayed sentence, I cannot help but feel it weighing heavily on my head._

_Did you have a family you were raised to honour and promote? I must admit I do not know. I always received the impression that you were closer with the Malfoys than with anyone else, but that impression may have been deliberate artifice on your part. Whether or not they exist, know that you are honoured and remembered, by me at least. I think I will attempt to discover what became of your will. I have heard nothing of it, and I hope that I would have received at least some token, as your godson._

_Uncle Severus, there are those who will honour your bravery, in defying your master. Your cleverness and skill in doing so. Your patience and dedication, in waiting for the perfect moment. But I do and will honour the cunning with which you deceived Him for so long, the skillful manipulations that allowed you to continue doing so, and your kindness to me, when we were both trapped in His grasp._

_Draco_

_\-----_

The house was quiet. Even when Draco undid the silencing charm he'd put up before sleeping, it was quiet. He checked the time and sighed. Two forty three - no wonder no-one else was up. One more deep breath, and he made himself slip out from under the bedclothes. He felt clammy, the sweat from his nightmare leaving him chilled. He'd feel better if he made himself move around a bit. So he got up, and he went downstairs, careful on the creaky step, and he checked the locks on the doors and windows. He made himself a hot chocolate (one of the first things he'd ever learned to make for himself) and drank it, sitting in the dark and listening to the mundane sounds of the neighbourhood at night. There were no screams. No snarls. No whimpers of pain. No tense and self-satisfied laughter. Bellatrix was far away, and the Dark Lord was dead.


	3. Keeping Busy

"Oh good, you're back," Andromeda said, looking rather frazzled, as Draco stepped out of the floo. "I'm sorry to ask, but...could you take Teddy for an hour or two? I'm helping Molly with something, and Ted has to stay late today, and of course Dora won't be home for hours. I can't get anyone else on such short notice."

Draco reared back. "I'm not a babysitter!" he objected. "I don't know what to do!"

Andromeda rolled her eyes at him. "Now that's just nonsense. You've spent plenty of time with Teddy before, he's not going to spontaneously combust." She held Teddy out, waiting for Draco to take him. "Go on!"

Gingerly, Draco accepted the squirming bundle. "What if something goes wrong?" he asked anxiously. "What if he gets sick?"

Andromeda reached into a pocket and pulled out a small folding mirror. "This will reach me, Molly, Augusta, or Minerva. Just tap it with your wand and say my full name, and you'll be able to talk to me." She put in on the mantle-piece, nodded at Draco, kissed Teddy's forehead, then spun on the spot and disapparated.

Draco looked down at Teddy, who blew a spit bubble at him. "You," Draco said seriously, "are a small, sentient mess, and if you weren't my cousin, I would not even  _try_  to handle you. Babysitting is not dignified."

Teddy giggled.

\-----

" _Why_  is the school so  _enormous_?" Draco asked tiredly as he and Tiresias trudged up the stairs to the seventh floor of the east corridor near the bell towers. "I didn't realise it as a student, but there's got to be  _ten times_  as much room as we need."

Tiresias shrugged. "It's an interesting question," he agreed. "There must have been more students, once, or more non-students resident."

That was a worrying thought. Had the wizarding population shrunk so much? Why? When? "What sort of non-students?" Draco asked, choosing the more palatable option.

"Farmers for the food," Tiresias said first, glancing out of a window at the training grounds. "Cooks and cleaners and servants, if there weren't house elves, perhaps. People making the school supplies - weavers and carpenters and tanners and parchment makers. And maybe masters, with their apprentices and journeymen. No reason for them  _not_  to be here."

"A productive wizarding community," Draco concluded, considering the corridors with new eyes. "What happened to it?"

Tiresias gestured Draco to precede him out of the stairwell. "At some point, someone must have thought it best to have only students and staff inside the wards," he guessed. "A number of them moved to Hogsmeade, I imagine."

Draco frowned. Walking through these empty corridors, he found he didn't like the idea.

\-----

"You know the drill at this point, Mr Malfoy," Auror Dawlish said wearily, sliding a folder of photos across the table. "Let me know if you recognise any of them, and if you do, we'll have an interview to get your information."

"How much longer should I be expecting to come in for these sessions?" Draco drawled, sorting through the photos. No, no, no, maybe, no, no, yes, no, no, maybe. "This one, and perhaps these two."

Dawlish sighed. "Well, to be honest with you, we're running out of things you're useful for," he admitted. "Just about all the major players got trapped by the anti-apparition wards at the battle, and you'll probably still be called in for the trials until we've finished all of them. Six months, maybe. But the investigation side of things? I think probably not more than a month." He got out a dicta-quill and a length of parchment and started the charm. "This is an official interview on behalf of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, interviewer is Auror John Dawlish, interviewee is Draco Malfoy, the date is July 20th, 1998. Mr Malfoy has identified three potential suspects from photographs. Regarding Person A," Dawlish tapped the photo Draco was sure of, "Mr Malfoy, how do you know this person?"

\-----

"Well," McGonagall said, looking between Draco and Tiresias, both of whom were rather dishevelled, "The work teams have restored the castle proper and are finishing up the greenhouses. We've got a month before term starts. What should we be doing?"

"The school is too big," Draco said bluntly.

"Or," Tiresias added, "its population is too small."

Draco nodded. "It depends on how much change you're willing to make, and how quickly. But here's what we think." He spread out a drawing of the broad castle layout. "This whole area, on the grounds outside the castle moat? The only classes you need to hold there are flying and herbology."

"But that's at least half the castle!" McGonagall exclaimed. "The transfiguration department is there, and defence!"

Tiresias nodded. "They are, but they don't need to be. Here." He unrolled a second sheet of parchment, with their suggested room use. " _Just_  using the building around the Quad, you can put Transfiguration, Charms, Defence, and History of Magic on the ground floor."

"That is, all the first and second year subjects that don't need a special location," Draco put in. "We're really getting a new History of Magic professor?"

"Yes," McGonagall said firmly. "I've hired someone from Iceland, where they take history seriously. Binns is an affliction on our students, not an education."

Tiresias grinned. "Excellent," he replied. "Now, on the first floor, in addition to the Hospital Wing, you can fit a classroom and office for the three theory electives - I assume you don't want to try to get Sybil down from her tower?"

"One battle at a time," McGonagall agreed dryly. "And the second floor?"

"Teacher's wing," Draco answered. "The Heads of House will have to be near their students, and you have rooms in the Headmistress' Tower, and Professor Trelawney obviously likes where she is. But you can fit an office for Madam Hooch, a library-slash-sitting room for staff in the evenings, and ten rooms for various teachers, which is more than the current staff."

"Personally," Tiresias said, "I'd quite like to have a social space just for the adults around here. The staff room off the Great Hall is all very well for official meetings, but it's not particularly relaxing."

McGonagall looked over the list of classrooms they'd suggested. "Quite a generous use of space," she admitted. "And it leaves me wondering what on earth the rest of the castle could be for."

"Well, the classrooms on the third floor can be study and club spaces, keeping those near the library makes perfect sense," Draco said. "And then fourth floor has less space because of the restricted section projecting up, but that's a good place for the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor Head of House rooms, and the Head Boy and Head Girl rooms, and maybe a meeting space for prefects. The four towers are obviously in use, the basement and dungeons under the Great Hall are fine as they are, and the Astronomy Tower above the Entrance Hall obviously has to stay as it is."

"That's still  _three empty floors_ ," McGonagall pointed out. " _And_  excluding the section of the castle you've completely ignored."

"About that," Tiresias said, smiling slyly, "it's a project for next summer, I think, but I'd love to talk to the new History of Magic Professor you've hired..."


	4. Familial Ties

Draco had been instructed to go to Grimmauld Place this afternoon, to meet with Sirius. Unfortunately, no one had given him any  _detail_ , so he had no idea what he was in for. After a great deal of pacing, considering and rejecting various outfits, he finally selected robes for a formal meeting, primarily black, as suited his membership in House Black, but with a silk tie in Malfoy green. Would that satisfy the man who was functionally his Head of House now? He barely knew Sirius. He knew the man was non-traditional, a Gryffindor, Potter's godfather, one of Dumbledore's followers - he had every reason to hate Draco, and Draco had no defence against him. They had met only once so far, and that was with Aunt Andromeda there, who had shown herself to be astonishingly kind. If Sirius wanted some kind of revenge, it would happen today.  _Always be composed when facing an unknown enemy,_  he could hear Uncle Severus saying as he combed his hair into place.  _It hides your weaknesses._  He couldn't delay any longer, or he would be late. 

Taking one last deep breath, Draco tossed a handful of floo powder on the fire and stepped into it. "Grimmauld Place!"

 

He was met at the fireplace by Remus Lupin, looking less shabby than he used to, but with more scars. They were instantly recognisable to him now, and he wondered how on earth Lupin could have escaped discovery so long. Repressing his instinctive withdrawal, Draco stepped forward, holding out his hand. "Professor Lupin, good afternoon," he said coolly. What place did Lupin have in this household? Was he a trusted retainer? An ally, equal to the lord in external affairs? An adopted member of the house? Whatever it was, Draco was certain that Lupin's opinion would influence his fate.

"Good afternoon, Draco," Lupin said warmly, shaking Draco's hand and gesturing him to go ahead. "Sirius is in the drawing room upstairs." The floo appeared to come out in the kitchen, for some reason, which was terribly undignified. But then, Grimmauld Place was only a townhouse, even if it was the seat of House Black. It didn't have the advantages that a larger building might.

Draco observed his surroundings carefully as he climbed up to the first floor. The house showed signs of recent repairs, with many of the older pieces looking poorly cared for. A consequence of the first war, perhaps. The drawing room, when he entered it, was obviously the Sirius' preferred room. The furnishings were very...Gryffindorish. 

Steeling himself, he approached Sirius and bowed, family member to Lord. "Good afternoon, Lord Black," he said formally. "How may I be of service?"

 

Sirius raised his eyebrows, and for a moment Draco thought he was going to get a Lecture, but... "The Lords Black I remember were terrible people," Sirius said briskly. "If you  _must_  be formal, 'Cousin' will do. Sit down and have some tea, there's paperwork to deal with."

Draco felt like his strings had been cut, but managed to nod gracefully and sit down in the chair adjacent to Sirius'. Lupin sat down on Sirius' other side. 

"Now, Andromeda got in touch with me to sort out a couple of things for you," Sirius explained as Draco poured tea. "Mainly because I'm dealing with all this shit for myself as well - the House of Black is a  _mess_  right now. I may have gotten myself and Andromeda reinstated, but four members left in the male line? Two of them in Azkaban and two of them estranged from the family until this year? House Black has gold, and it has this house, but it's lost just about everything else."

"He decides to re-disown himself about once a week," Lupin added dryly, "but then he remembers he likes being on the Wizengamot."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "No one sane  _likes_  being on the Wizengamot. I like the  _result_  of being on the Wizengamot, i.e. having influence."

Draco cleared his throat slightly, astonished by the banter, but trying not to show it. "I beg your pardon, Cousin, but...which affairs specifically are you referring to?"

Sirius' face grew solemn. "Well," he said quietly, "in the first place, this."

 

_I, Severus Snape, being of sound mind and body hereby make, publish, and declare this to be my last will and testament, hereby revoking any others heretofore made by me._

_I hereby appoint Lord Lucius Malfoy as my executor, with my full authority to sell, transfer, and convey all property in my possession at the time of my death, at such time and place and in such manner as he deems appropriate to fulfil the contents of this will. In the event that he is unable or unwilling to be my executor, I hereby appoint Griphook, my account manager at Gringotts Bank._

_I direct that all debts, outstanding expenses, and funeral expenses first be paid from my estate._

_I direct that my remaining possessions be distributed as follows:_

  * _To Harry Potter, the blue wooden box in the study at my home in Spinners End, and its contents. I was fortunate, as a child, to have the friendship of your mother, who was an extraordinarily gifted and kind person. I lost that friendship by my own actions, but certain keepsakes remained to me, which now I pass to you._
  * _To Poppy Pomfrey, her selection of my completed potions, for personal or infirmary use._
  * _To Minerva McGonagall, Filius Flitwick, Pomona Sprout, Aurora Sinistra, Septima Vector, Bathsheba Babbling, and Charity Burbage, their selection of two books each from my collection._
  * _To Draco Malfoy, my godson, the entire remainder of my estate and possessions, with my affection and pride._



_Signed by the testator in our joint presence, and attested by us in the presence of him and each other: Alastor Moody, Molly Weasley_

_Severus Snape_

 

Draco swallowed hard. Just seeing Uncle Severus' handwriting again, the few hints of his voice in between the formulaic language of the will, knowing that at some point he had written his praise of Draco for anyone to see... Clearing his throat, Draco looked up. "I assume my father has been unable to fulfill his duty as executor," he said carefully. "If I can be of any assistance in locating and securing Uncle - ah, Severus' possessions and estate, please let me know."

Sirius and Lupin exchanged looks, and Draco made a mental note to treat Lupin as Sirius' equal in the household. "We'll do that," Lupin said quietly. "I'm afraid we hadn't considered that he might have left someone behind - there was a lot of resentment between him and ourselves, and he always seemed a very solitary man. Is there...anyone you want to talk to? About him, or...other things?"

Draco couldn't help his bitter laugh. "Anyone I once trusted is either dead, imprisoned, forbidden to me, or resents me for being insufficiently devoted to the Dark - to You-Know-Who's cause," he pointed out. "Who would I speak to?"


	5. Letters with a Slytherin

_To Draco Malfoy, Heir Malfoy, Tiresias Smethwyck, Transfiguration Master, Head of Slytherin House, Hogwarts Professor of Transfiguration, sends greetings and his hopes for a fruitful correspondence_

_It has been a pleasure working with you this summer, and I find myself reluctant to return to the dull work of procurement for the upcoming term. One would think that compared to walking miles of empty corridors, even paperwork would be an improvement, but your interest in what we began to discover brought enjoyment to a long and tiring job, and inspired new curiosity in me about the castle I am so familiar with._

_If you are unwilling to exchange regular letters, then please consider this missive simple thanks for your intelligent assistance and ungrudging company._

_Tiresias Smethwyck_

_\-----_

_To Professor Tiresias Smethwyck, Head of Slytherin House, Draco Malfoy, Heir Malfoy, sends greetings and good wishes_

_You are kind to call my company ungrudging, when you know very well that my presence was compelled. Any cheerfulness I had was due to your kindness, in treating me as a companion rather than a criminal, and acting as a mentor rather than a guard. I suspect I will make a poor correspondent, as my life has little interest at present, but I would be a fool to turn down a friendly ally, and I hope I am not_ quite _that foolish._

_Are the preparations for term going well?_

_Draco Malfoy_

_\-----_

_Professor Tiresias Smethwyck, to Draco Malfoy, Heir Malfoy, sends greetings and good wishes_

_There is some disgruntlement at the changes, but I think it is outweighed by the relief at having a smaller area to worry about students getting into trouble in. The biggest complainers have been the portraits, some of whom have surprised us by demanding to be in the student areas once they got word that less of the castle was to be inhabited. We are solving the problem by asking for volunteers to swap to a quieter space, which has been mostly successful._

_Professor Roth, our new History of Magic teacher, has decided to completely abandon the past curriculum and start from scratch. I expect he'll have some trouble with the examination boards about his new curriculum, but give it a few years and we'll be better for it. An OWL or NEWT in History of Magic doesn't do you any good anyway, since they're tailored to Binns' curriculum, and Binns' curriculum is so appalling. Professor Burbage and Professor Babbling have offered their assistance during the adjustment period, so hopefully things won't be too patchy when the students arrive._

_I wonder if you could tell me from a student's perspective if you felt there was anything lacking in the Transfiguration curriculum? The headmistress reports that you were, in general, an excellent student at her subject, so your comments would be welcome._

_Tiresias Smethwyck_

_\-----_

_To Professor Tiresias Smethwyck, Head of Slytherin House, Draco Malfoy, Heir Malfoy, sends greetings and good wishes_

_I admit I am curious to see how the new History of Magic curriculum pans out - and at the very least, I will look into the textbooks Professor Roth chooses. As the Heir of Malfoy, I was well educated in wizarding history before I began at Hogwarts, and thought little of Binns' lectures except to complain of boredom, but in retrospect, I realise they left those of us who_ were _educated at home with a distinct advantage over our year mates. Few, I think, would be so dedicated as to copy Miss Granger and independently seek out the knowledge they lacked._

_Professor McGonagall always impressed me (and many others) with her mastery of the subject and the classroom. Nonetheless, I feel that Transfiguration was the hardest subject I took. I did not have a strong understanding of the logical progression from spell to spell, even though in retrospect, I can observe the progression from inanimate-inanimate transfigurations, to animate subjects, to animate targets, to cross-species transfiguration, and from there to other branches of the transfiguration discipline. Would it be valuable to focus exclusively on inanimate-inanimate transfiguration in first year, encouraging students to develop a better understanding of what it is that leads to a successful attempt before they learn the more difficult spells?_

_Draco Malfoy_

_\-----_

_To Draco Malfoy, Heir Malfoy, Professor Tiresias Smethwyck sends greetings and good wishes_

_An interesting suggestion. Surely the theoretical aspects are the most difficult part of the subject for the new learner?_

_The booklists have been sent out, and Professor Roth chose the following texts:_

  * _First year: A History of Magic, B. Bagshot_
  * _Second year: Wizarding Events of the 20th Century, M. Meyer, trans. J. Thompson_
  * _Third year: Why Secrecy? A History of Wizard-Muggle Relations, S. Antonio_
  * _Fourth year: The Emergence of the Ministry of Magic, L. Bones; A Guide to the Wizengamot, First Edition, S. Shafiq_
  * _Fifth year: Interfaces Between Wizards, Beings, and Beasts, N. Newham_
  * _Sixth year: Invasions, Alliances, and Consolidations: the Impact of Muggle Politics on the International Wizarding Community, W. Schmidt, trans. R. Perks_
  * _Seventh year: Investigating Artefacts, F. Roth, How History is Written, F. Roth_



_I think I will take the opportunity to educate myself. And perhaps reread Hogwarts: A History and see if it has more meaning after a thoughtful survey of the castle halls._

_Tiresias Smethwyck_

_\-----_

_To Professor Tiresias Smethwyck, Draco Malfoy sends greetings and good wishes_

_The theory is most complicated, but no, I do not believe it is the_ hardest.  _The mental task of picturing the target in sufficient detail, focusing on it with sufficient determination, and actually executing the spell was what left me frustrated and mentally exhausted after my early lessons. I have gained the knack of it now, and the mental preparation to transfigure something is nearly habitual, but when I was younger, it was very difficult._

 _Perhaps you could work on a small number of transfiguration spells in first year, with each class being mostly lecture and discussion time, ending with ten to fifteen minutes of practical? Rather than spend the better part of an hour trying to turn a match into a needle, students could build their theoretical understanding and, over several lessons, observe their own gradual improvement? If my successful casting of a transfiguration was marked, not by my first completed transformation, but by my first swift and_ confident  _transformation, I suspect I would have loved the subject better._

_Draco Malfoy_


	6. Spinners End

"Ah, Ted?" Draco said warily, awkward with the informality. "What did you think of Severus Snape?" He'd made an appointment with Griphook to go to Uncle Severus' house on the weekend, and he didn't think he could handle it alone. But there weren't many options to accompany him.

Mr Tonks hummed, putting down his book. "Well, I didn't know him personally, but Andy did," he said. "By all accounts he was excellent at what he did, as a potioner and a spy. Not the man you want teaching your kids, he obviously hated teaching. And knowing you and knowing how he was involved in the Order and all, I'm guessing what happened with Dumbledore was more complicated than it seems. That thing with the giants, that was a damn brave thing to do. All up, I reckon he was a fairly unpleasant person to most folks, but he was also in a tough position and did his best with it, so..." He shrugged. "I gotta respect him for that."

Draco relaxed somewhat. That was probably as positive as he'd get from anyone. "He made me his heir," he explained. "He was my godfather, you see, and he didn't have any surviving family. He had a small house in a muggle town that I don't intend to keep, but I need to go there and empty it out so it's suitable for sale. Would you...be able to accompany me?"

Ted gave him a searching look. "...I can do that," he agreed. "How about I ask Dora to empty out her old school trunk so we've got two to store things in? It's got a good extendable charm on it, and that way we don't have to worry about boxes."

"I'd appreciate that," Draco agreed, smiling. "I'm assured it is  _very_  small, but I've never been there, so I don't know what to expect."

"Well, let me give you a tip," Ted said, smiling back. "Keep in mind you've no obligation to keep anything on his behalf, alright? Something I learnt when my mother was helping pack up her uncle's things after he died. He gave it to  _you_  to decide what to do with, and if that means throwing things out or dropping them off to a secondhand store, that's your decision."

\-----

The three of them (Draco, Mr Tonks, and Griphook) arrived in Severus' back yard by portkey. It was rather a shock for Draco to see. The house was tiny, and the neighborhood was dismal.  _Severus grew up here?_  Draco thought to himself. 

"Well," Ted said briskly, gathering himself. "Let's get started! Griphook, I understand you have certain items to retrieve before we go?"

"I do," the goblin agreed, letting them all in through the kitchen door with a small brass key. He pulled a rather odd looking device out of a pocket of his waistcoat, and a roll of parchment out of another. After a little fiddling with the device, he unrolled the parchment and put it down, pressing a button on the side. The device began to move, sketching out the layout of the walls of the house. When it began to add the neighbouring houses on either side, Griphook picked it up, pressing the button and adjusting some settings before setting it down again. This time, it began to add small red x's to the floor plan (despite containing no apparent ink). There was a thick cluster of them in one room, quickly becoming a blot on the parchment, and only one or two anywhere else. After a minute or two, the device stopped moving, and Griphook adjusted the settings a third time. The ink turned green, and blotted out an entire room, with other x's scattered around the floorplan of the upstairs.

Griphook hummed, pulling out another device, which he fixed onto the first one, and another, extremely thick, roll of parchment. "That," he explained, pressing the button to start it, "will catalogue the books contained in this house. A copy of the list, along with a catalogue of the books in Mr Snape's vault, will be given to the appropriate beneficiaries, and  _you_  will be held liable for providing the copies. Is that understood, Mr Malfoy?"

"Quite," Draco agreed. "Am I correct in assuming the red marks indicate completed potions for Madam Pomfrey?"

Griphook smiled toothily. "You are, Mr Malfoy. I will collect those before my departure."

 

Leaving Griphook to his affairs, Draco and Ted moved to the next room, each bringing a trunk with them. What they saw made them stop dead.

"Holy..." Ted breathed. "No wonder it blotted the room out. Christ."

Draco swallowed, struggling to take in the sheer volume of books Uncle Severus had crammed into this tiny house. Even the door to the kitchen behind them was a bookshelf. "At least we won't have to do much sorting in here?" he said weakly. "Since we have to keep all the books for now."

Ted nodded. "How about I start packing this lot, and you go upstairs and have a look around?" He opened up Tonk's trunk and pulled out his wand. "Once I've got the books sorted, you can have another look at what's left."

"Right," Draco said, looking around until he found another hidden door leading to a staircase. He cast a levitation charm and brought it up with him.

 

In the end, Draco made use of the multiple sections of his trunk to divide what he found upstairs into 'keep', 'sell - muggle', 'sell - magical'. There wasn't a lot in the first category: most of what he found was low quality muggle goods, and the wizarding items were practical and plain. There were a few exceptions, though. More books - those, he packed automatically. Severus' robes - after much dithering, Draco kept only a winter cloak; the rest he would sell. A small locked box in the bottom drawer of the nightstand contained various cloak pins, cuff links, and a fob watch Draco recognised as a gift from his parents - those, he kept. There was a trunk at the end of Uncle Severus' bed (one without extension charms) containing a neatly organised but very miscellaneous collection of objects that Draco eventually figured out were mostly childhood keepsakes. He considered it for a while, then decided to put it in Severus' vault until he was ready to sort through it. There was nothing meaningful left in the bathroom. 

 

It was something of a relief to go back downstairs, where he found Ted conducting a stream of books packing themselves neatly into Tonks' trunk. There were only a few shelves left, and the room seemed newly open. What was left - a few shabby pieces of furniture, a box of wood for the fire, a jar of floo powder on the mantlepiece - wasn't worth keeping, although they'd have to take the floo powder with them, and remember to disconnect the house from the floo network. 

"All done upstairs, then?" Ted asked cheerfully, though he looked a little tired. 

Draco shrugged. "I have everything I want, and everything I think can go to a second-hand shop. I wasn't sure whether to just vanish the rest or...do something else with it."

"Rubbish and furniture?" Ted guessed. "I'll be done with this in a minute, and then I'll go have a look. We've moved a few times, so I've got the hang of it now. Griphook's gone, so you can check out the kitchen if you like."

 

For the most part, the kitchen was dingy, run-down, and Muggle. At first, searching through the cabinets, Draco thought there was nothing he would want. But then he opened the pantry door, and found Severus' potions lab. It wasn't large, but the use of the extension charm was unmistakeable, and the layout was equally familiar. He had spent a great deal of time assisting with potions manufacture while he and Severus were more-or-less trapped at Malfoy Manor, and Severus was very particular about his work space.

Draco took a long minute to breathe, pushing back the memories, and withdrew, thinking hard. Severus' stores and tools would need to be packed carefully, and Draco's trunk was fairly full at this point, and certainly not a good place for fragiles. Tonks' would be the same. And he couldn't declare the house ready for sale until the extension charm was removed, which he wasn't sure he'd be able to do. He'd have to come back later.


	7. Legacy

Draco lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Every time he closed his eyes he could see Severus, as he was a week before his death. 

 _"Listen to me, Draco." Uncle Severus' voice was low and urgent, his face betraying his tension and exhaustion. "The time will come when you have a choice: to be loyal to the Dark Lord, or to surrender, and aid his enemies. When that time comes, you_ must _make the right choice. Soon, I will be unable to protect you. And those driven by hatred are poor friends."_

Drawing in a sharp breath, Draco struggled to clear his mind as Uncle Severus had tried to teach him. He had never mastered Occlumency, not  _nearly_  enough to prevent the Dark Lord reaching into his mind whenever he wished, but the lessons had been a lifeline when he was surrounded by torture and death. It had been enough for him to keep his composure then, and he  _would_  keep his composure now. Deep breaths. Clear the mind.

He had surrendered, the way Uncle Severus had obliquely instructed him to, and he was alive. But Uncle Severus was dead.

_"Listen to me, Draco..."_

Deep breaths. Clear the mind.

_"Soon, I will be unable to protect you."_

Deep breaths.

 _"You_ must  _make the right choice."_

Deep breaths.

\-----

A week after his first trip to Spinners End, Draco received a letter from Gringotts with a list of books he needed to deliver to Griphook to be passed on to the Hogwarts professors. An hour of unpacking, sorting, and repacking later, he had a neat stack ready. He could shrink them and owl them back, of course, but he wanted to actually visit Severus' vault and look through the other things he had unexpectedly inherited. Money was unimportant, although having a vault separate from the Malfoy family did make him feel a little more secure; it was the things that mattered most. He was tempted to drop some things off to the second-hand store in Diagon Alley, but reminded himself it would be better to wait until September, when the Alley was less crowded. He might visit Flourish and Blotts, though, and pick up some of those History of Magic books Professor Smethwyck had written to him about. Glancing back at the trunk, he thought to himself that a love of books wasn't a bad legacy.

\-----

"Do you have plans for tomorrow?" Andromeda asked over dinner that night. "I'll be busy with the MIA, and you're welcome to come, but it might be a bit of a culture shock."

Draco managed not to make a face. "I'll pass, thanks. Who's got Teddy?"

"Remus and Sirius," Tonks said, narrowly avoiding knocking over her water glass. "I think they're practising on him, deciding if they want one of their own."

"One of... _their_  own?" Draco asked carefully.

Ted glanced at him. "You didn't know they're a couple? Pretty sure those boys have been together since before the first war."

"And Walburga didn't like it, either," Andromeda muttered.

Draco's mind was racing. Sirius was left handed? He was with  _Lupin_? Suddenly he found himself looking at their few interactions in a new light, the way Lupin acted on Sirius' behalf, the way Sirius welcomed Lupin into his physical space, the way they relaxed when they touched each other. "...no," he admitted. "I didn't know."

"Oh, Remus and Sirius are a love story for the ages," Tonks said easily. "They've had about three serious fights ever, usually when someone was nearly dead."

Andromeda gave Tonks an inscrutable look, then turns back to Draco. "Anyway, those two will have Teddy. Unless you'd like to take care of him?"

Draco shook his head quickly. "No, I was thinking I might go to Diagon Alley and visit Flourish and Blotts." He'd rather not talk about his other errand.

"Be careful," Tonks warned him. "There'll be school supplies crowds, and people are still touchy from the war."

"I know," Draco said seriously. But he was touched that Tonks had been concerned for him. "Thank you."

\-----

Draco took one look at the crowd of teenagers on the main floor of Flourish and Blotts and escaped upstairs, grateful for charm on his hair and the loan of one of Ted's robes that were (so far) keeping him anonymous. Of course, he was now further away from the books he  _wanted_  to purchase, but he didn't mind waiting for a better moment. Crowds made him edgy these days.

The mezzanine, he discovered, was full of advanced subjects - healing, alchemy, cosmology, ritual magic. There was a fiction section too, near the stairs. And a shelf of reference books. Out of curiosity, he picked up the  _Pure-Blood Directory_  and leafed through it, trying to see if he could see evidence of the wizarding community getting smaller over time. He'd studied the book extensively as a child, of course, but his focus then had been on the male inheritance lines and the surviving branches of the listed families. Cross referencing the various family trees was difficult, but he did think he could see a reduction in the number of branches. It would be better if it were more up to date, but then with the wars, a lot of lines had been cut off by circumstance. He found himself longing for a very large piece of parchment on which he could plot it all out.

A reduction in noise caught his attention, and he glanced down to see that the shop looked a  _little_  emptier than it had before. Draco took advantage of the reprieve, hurrying downstairs to the history section, consulting his list briefly, and picking out the books he wanted. He slipped through the crowd to the counter, waiting his turn impatiently to pay and leave. The cashier, thankfully, didn't recognise him, making rather inane small talk for the few minutes it took to add the purchase to the ledger, wrap up and shrink the stack of books, and give Draco his change. He picked up a copy of their catalogue as well, tucking it with the books into his satchel, and gratefully escaping the shop.

\-----

The vault was something of an anti-climax. It was a cupboard, more than a room - about two metres high and a metre deep and wide, the back half was filled with a built-in chest of drawers, reaching up to Draco's chest. The space on top could accommodate a trunk, he guessed, but didn't. He glanced back at Griphook, and his expression must have shown his surprise.

"Standard small, low-security vault, Mr Malfoy," Griphook revealed. "Low fees, suitable for a single person to a small family, popular among muggleborns."

And Uncle Severus  _had_  been a muggleborn. Draco began to investigate the seven drawers, since there was nothing on the shelf at the top. The bottom drawer was divided into three sections, holding galleons, sickles, and knuts. Probably a standard arrangement in these vaults. The second drawer was full of sheets and rolls of parchment. Glancing at a few, Draco realised these were Severus' documentation of income, employment, ownership, identity, qualifications, and so on. Although unless Uncle Severus was  _very_  thorough with his paperwork, there was probably less official correspondence in there too. The third drawer caused Draco quite a bit of confusion, until he spotted the name 'Prince' on something and realised that these were Uncle Severus' keepsakes of his mother. The fourth drawer made him pause. The wooden boxes inside it looked  _exactly_  like the box he'd seen Uncle Severus keep his most important, volatile, high-security potions in at the Manor. It had been wrapped up in so many security spells that Severus had warned Draco away from even touching it. ...gingerly, Draco closed that drawer and moved on. The fifth and sixth drawers had a jumble of books and other objects that Draco recognised from Severus' offices at Hogwarts. And the final drawer? That held a thick sheaf of parchment, neatly stacked and tied into a bundle with a black ribbon, labeled 'Annotations'. Draco's breath caught. If this was what he thought it was...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Left handed' is the polite wizarding term for 'gay'. Remus and Sirius could politely be referred to as a 'left hand couple'.


	8. Possibilities

_To Professor Tiresias Smethwyck, Transfiguration Master, Draco Malfoy sends greetings and good wishes_

_How is Hogwarts coping with its influx of students for the new year? Are there any notable new members of our house? Has the changed layout caused improvements, do you think, or increased difficulties?_

_I'm sorry it's taken me so long to reply to your last letter, but I have been rather distracted. I discovered that a person who perished in the war left the bulk of their estate to me, and I have been caught up in the necessary management of affairs. In the process, I discovered a manuscript which I believe has the potential for publication as a book, and if it is possible, I would very much like to do so. Do you have any advice or suggestions as to how I might go about it?_

_Draco Malfoy_

_\-----_

_Professor Tiresias Smethwyck sends to Draco Malfoy his greetings, condolences, and congratulations_

_I shall not press regarding your relationship to this person, lest I hit a sore spot, but if you wish to discuss them at any point, please know that I will gladly offer a listening ear._

_A book manuscript is an exciting find! Do you think it could be published as-is, or would it require substantial revision? What genre is the book? Would you be willing to fund the printing yourself, or do you intend to sell it to a publisher? I have only published in Greece, but the process is not substantially different there, based on discussions I've had with Professor Roth._

_As to your other questions: all staff report substantially less confusion and distress among the first years, although there has been some disappointment among the older students. Everyone is disconcerted by how much empty space the changes have revealed, and I am more and more convinced that your inspired suggestion about a public portrait gallery should be considered. Slytherin House had fewer new students this year than the other houses, and inter-house rivalry is high, but Professor McGonagall and I are working actively to soften resentment, with the aid of several others._

_I'm afraid I never asked, but I am curious: have you considered attempting your NEWTs at some point in future?_

_Tiresias Smethwyck_

_\-----_

_To Professor Tiresias Smethwyck, Draco Malfoy sends greetings and good wishes_

_I'm afraid NEWTs are an unlikely proposition for me. I received OWLs in all the core subjects, Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures, and had intended to continue with Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, DADA, and Ancient Runes, but I didn't even complete sixth year, and returning to the school is no longer an option. I am fortunate enough not to need them, but it is something I regret._

_The manuscript is a collection of potions receipes, some of them original, some of them annotated variations on standard recipes from Jigger, Borage, and elsewhere. I have absolutely no doubt of the author's skill or the accuracy of their instructions. However, as a reader I could not discern their intent in the organisation of the manual, and it lacks an index. Do you believe it is worth the attempt to reorganise?_

_Draco Malfoy_

_\-----_

_To Draco Malfoy, Tiresias Smethwyck sends greetings and good wishes_

_An update to Advanced Potion Making? _I'd _buy it. I suggest you present it primarily as a supplementary to the usual Hogwarts textbooks; make the first section annotations to Drafts and Potions, in the order the potions appear in that text; the second section based on Advanced Potion-Making, similarly; the third section additional annotations, organised by source text; and the final section original recipes. Are there many in the final category? Could they be divided further by purpose? I look forward to hearing what you decide._

_As to your NEWTs, after some consideration, I've decided that's a lot of nonsense. I completely understand why returning to Hogwarts as a seventh-year student is impossible for you, but there are other ways for you to gain that knowledge. I enclose a copy of the end-of-year theory exam I gave my sixth years in June. If you are interested in making the attempt to learn by correspondence, please complete it to the best of your ability and send it back to me. If you'd like, I can enquire with Filius, Mathieu, Rebecca, and Bathsheba whether they would be willing to try to come up with a solution for you. Please let me know what you decide._

_Tiresias Smethwyck_

_\-----_

_To Professor Tiresias Smethwyck, Draco Malfoy sends greetings and good wishes_

_I sincerely doubt the feasibility of learning the subjects I chose by correspondence; while theory is important, so is the practical. However, I_ am _grateful to you for your consideration and assistance, and I am not so foolish as to deny your efforts on my behalf. Accordingly, I have enclosed the exam you sent me, although I feel I did poorly at it. If Professors Flitwick, Martel, Jacobi, or Babbling are willing to assist, please convey my gratitude to them._

_I will send an updated contents page of the manuscript with my next letter, as it will take me a little longer to complete it._

_Draco Malfoy_

_\-----_

_Professor Tiresias Smethwyck, to Draco Malfoy sends greetings and encouragement_

_Firstly, you passed the exam (enclosed, with my marking). You received an Acceptable grade, but considering that you are more than a year out of practice, you should be pleased with that result. You show a good grasp of the underlying principles, you just need to review the detail work. I suggest you find your copy of A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration and review it. I have also enclosed the broad syllabus I am using for all seven years. We will continue in parallel with the theory work I am giving my seventh years, and for practical work I would like you to practice each spell, working up from first year, for as long as you need to get it smooth and clean. If you lack confidence, you may of course find a more experienced witch or wizard to assist you, but you shouldn't need to worry until you reach at least fifth year material._

_Professors Flitwick and Babbling agreed immediately, and their sixth year theory exams are enclosed. Please send them directly to those professors once complete._

_Professors Jacobi and Martel were more hesitant, because of the difficulty of teaching by correspondence, but I have reassured them that you would be able to find practical tutors without too much difficulty. You are surrounded, after all, by famously skilled duellers, and considering your inheritance of the potions manuscript, I ventured a guess that you would find a solution to that problem as well. Please let me know whether this is the case, and I will pass that information on to Professors Jacobi and Martel for their consideration._

_Tiresias Smethwyck_


	9. Logistics

Draco was distracting himself. He was trying to come up with the best possible submission letter to send to various publishers about Uncle Severus' manuscript, so he didn't have to think about the note he'd sent to Sirius, asking for a meeting 'when convenient'. He could talk to Aunt Andromeda instead, but he really felt that this whole NEWTs-by-owl thing needed to go to his Head of House, and functionally, he was House Black right now. And it was the resources of House Black that he'd need.

_"... Annotations and Innovations is a manual of improved potions recipes, containing 23 variations on recipes from Magical Drafts and Potions, 31 variations on recipes from Advanced Potion-Making, 17 other variations on well-known recipes, and..."_

An owl flew in the window, dropping a short note on Draco's desk and flapping off before he could even think about a reply. When he read the note, he understood why. All it said was: " _Sure. Drop by any time. Sirius"._

_\-----_

Half an hour later, Draco was explaining the whole business. "...and Tiresias - Professor Smethwyck, the Slytherin head of house? - supervised me while I was there, and then we started writing letters, and we got to talking about how I didn't get my NEWTs and, well, he offered to help me."

Sirius exchanged glances with Remus. "Do we need to be...concerned about a courting relationship?" Remus asked delicately.

"What? No!" Draco exclaimed, shocked. "He's older than  _you_!" As soon as he heard himself say that aloud, he winced. "Oh Merlin, I'm an idiot," he lamented. "I'm so sorry, Cousin, I didn't mean..."

"Don't worry about it," Sirius said easily, utterly failing to suppress a grin. "Older than us, eh?"

Remus chuckled a little. "It's fine, Draco. I understand completely. He's more of a mentor, then?"

"Yes," Draco agreed hurriedly, relieved. "Yes, that. He's offered to try and teach me the seventh year Transfiguration course by correspondence, and he's asked some of the other professors to help too. But the practical aspects..."

Sirius nodded, sitting back. "You need supervision at least, and probably tutoring. What subjects?"

"Charms, Transfiguration, Defence, Potions, and Ancient Runes," Draco recited promptly. "...although the Defence and Potions professors aren't sure about it."

Remus smiled. "Well, Defence isn't a problem. So long as you don't mind me teaching you, I can cover that one."

\-----

Draco paused, taking a deep breath and dismissing the memory of Greyback's foul breath on his face, pointed fingernails digging into his arm. Lupin had been a competent, knowledgeable, and fair teacher, and had never unduly endangered his students. He was known to be extremely cautious about his transformations. "...thank you, sir," Draco said quietly. "Would you prefer to teach the entire course, or only the practical?"

"I can handle the lot, I'd say," Lupin said warmly, looking extremely pleased. "I'm good at Charms, too, although if you want an expert, that's Molly. She just got her mastery over the summer, you know."

Draco raised his eyebrows. "Molly...Weasley?" he asked. "Sir, I really don't think she'd teach me. The Malfoys and the Weasleys don't...get along well."

"That's an understatement," Sirius muttered. "Try Andromeda instead," he suggested. "I can help with Transfiguration - certainly I know how to keep you out of strife with human transfiguration."

Remus rolled his eyes, laughing. "Because you and James already made every possible mistake," he teased. Glancing at Draco, he added, "James was the best of us at Transfiguration, like Lily was at Charms. But Sirius and I will do our best to substitute."

Draco smiled back, feeling a little more relaxed. "I'm sure you'll do fine, sir," he said. "Did any of you take Runes?"

"Moony did," Sirius said, nudging Lupin with his elbow. "He was the Hermione of our year, he took everything he could."

" _Lily_  was the Hermione of our year," Lupin demurred, shaking his head. "And I didn't take Runes at NEWT level. I'd say ask Bill Weasley, but..."

Draco nodded ruefully. "But the Weasley thing again. Runes is fairly heavy on the theory anyway; I suppose I'll manage."

"We'll give it a trial run, at least," Sirius agreed. "But let us know if it's not working out and we'll find someone to help you."

 

Lupin sat forward, giving Draco a serious look. "Now, I understand you may not want to talk about this, so I'm going to tell you what I've guessed. Whatever Professor Snape's ability in the classroom, as your godfather he did his best to pass onto you his love of and skill at potions, both of which were, frankly, extraordinary. After the two of you left Hogwarts, he acted as your mentor and did his best to protect you. You probably spent a lot of time with him when he was in his potions lab. He rarely put you in control of potions, but had exacting requirements for your assistance with ingredient preparation and so on. Am I right?"

Draco was frozen for a long moment, then cleared his throat and nodded slightly. "...when I was eight, Uncle Severus used soup recipes to teach me chopping and measuring."  _Why am I telling them this?_  "My knife set was a birthday gift when I turned eleven."

Lupin reached out, gently placing his hand on Draco's shoulder. "I'm sorry for your loss," he murmured. "I'm sorry we haven't recognised that you must be grieving."

 

Draco blinked hard.  _Deep breaths. Clear your mind._  "I apologise for my distraction," he said, falling back on formality to cover his emotions. "I assume you had some reason to bring this up?"

"...I did, yes," Lupin said, looking a little disconcerted. "I suspect that you already have the practical skills you would need for a NEWT in Potions. Not the practice with specific recipes, or the theoretical knowledge, but you're unlikely to get things dangerously wrong by accident. If you had a potions lab available to you, do you think you could do the practicals on your own?"

"I wouldn't be able to tell if I'd gotten the potion wrong, or diagnose my mistakes," Draco pointed out, but he actually liked the idea. 

Sirius shrugged, looking a little less awkward now the emotional part of the conversation had passed. "Ask Professor Jacobi if you can send in vials for her evaluation. She does that anyway, right?"

Draco considered the suggestion for a long moment. "...I will ask Professor Smethwyck if your suggestion is suitable," he agreed. "Where would I work?" He carefully didn't think about the fully outfitted room at Spinners End.

Sirius jerked his thumb at the stairs. "Top floor has a potions lab, we converted it during the war," he said. "You can come over and use it any time, as long as you clean up after yourself. Do you need help getting supplies?"

"I believe I will manage," Draco replied, thinking of Uncle Severus' store cupboard. "Thank you, sir, Cousin. I will write to Professor Smethwyck, and depending on his reply, we can develop a schedule." He stood, and bowed. 

Sirius attempted to hide a smile. "You're welcome, Draco," he said. "You're welcome at Grimmauld Place any time."


	10. Advice

_To Professor Tiresias Smethwyck, Draco Malfoy sends greetings and good wishes_

_Lord Black, my cousin, and his partner Remus Lupin have ventured to supervise my Transfiguration and Charms practice. Mr Lupin has also offered to tutor me in Defence, and as he has shown himself to be a qualified teacher, I plan to take his offer. Please inform Professor Martel that he has my thanks for his consideration, but I will not be adding to his busy schedule with my studies. I have not yet found a tutor or supervisor for the practical aspects of Runes, but I anticipate it will cause little difficulty. I am, however, uncertain regarding Potions. I believe I will be able to avoid dangerous accidents; however, I lack the necessary knowledge to evaluate the success of my potions and diagnose my failures. Any suggestions from yourself or your colleagues would be welcome._

_In your opinion, would it be appropriate for me to make a small donation to the school in thanks for the generosity of its teachers?_

_My assignment is enclosed._

_Draco Malfoy_

_\-----_

_Professor Tiresias Smethwyck sends to Draco Malfoy his greetings and good wishes_

_All very sensible plans, and I understand your concerns about Potions. I had a word with Professor Jacobi, and she said she's willing to try a probationary period, in which you will do the practicals in parallel with the class and owl her samples of your results. She will mark them the same way she marks her usual seventh-years, and make what recommendations she can. If your potions average is lower than EE level by Christmas break, then she recommends you hire a tutor._

_I don't think you would cause any offence, and it would show your appreciation. However, may I recommend a more personal gift to your professors as well? Not larger or more expensive than a host gift; fine tea, alcohol, or confectionery would be suitable._

_Have you made progress with your manuscript?_

_Tiresias Smethwyck_

_\-----_

_To Professor Tiresias Smethwyck, Draco Malfoy sends thanks, greetings, and good wishes_

_I have submitted letters to various publishers, and am waiting for replies. It is a rather anxious process._

_If it is not too impertinent a question, how much do you monitor and engage with Slytherin students as their Head of House?_

_Draco Malfoy_

_\-----_

_To Draco Malfoy, Tiresias Smethwyck sends greetings and good wishes_

_I introduce myself at the start of term, make myself available in my sitting room on a regular basis, and keep an eye out for concerning trends in detentions or grades. If I think a student's having particular difficulty, I make time to meet with them and discuss the matter._

_Your anxiety is understandable. Have you been making progress with your practical transfigurations?_

_Tiresias Smethwyck_

_\-----_

_To Professor Tiresias Smethwyck,_

_I am making good progress through the first-year spells - most of which I haven't used since that year. Why do we learn to turn mice into snuffboxes? Apart from in that class, I don't think I've ever seen one, and I've never had convenient access to mice. I understand that it's foundation work, but I do wonder why the foundation work can't be more practically applicable._

_Regarding my current assignment: the mass of the subject is obviously relevant to the power required, but could that be altered with the use of a shrinking or growth charm? Is there a threshold at which the additional spellwork for the charms to shrink the subject and grow the target is worthwhile? Is there a point where a small subject is easy enough to transform that a large difference in size between subject and target can be accommodated?_

_Would it be possible for me to speak to you, as a Slytherin student might? Confidentially?_

_Draco Malfoy_

_\-----_

_Professor Tiresias Smethwyck sends Draco Malfoy his greetings and good wishes_

_You are welcome to write to me confidentially at any time. If you would prefer to speak in person, I can arrange an opportunity on a weekend._

_It is possible to transfigure a charmed subject, but depending on the nature of the charm, it may cause an increase in 'viciousness'. The growth and shrinking charms, which cause a permanent physical change, do not do this, but a levitation charm, for example, would. The essential distinction is whether you would consider the charmed subject to be 'bewitched'._

_A wizard skilled at transfiguration should not need to use charms to facilitate the spell, but if you encounter a transfiguration subject that is beyond your ability, a shrinking charm can reduce the risk of failed transfiguration. It is an inelegant and circuitous 'shortcut', and should be avoided during your training._

_Consider the standard formula: t = ((w_ x _c)/(v_ x _a))_  x _Z_

 _If the mass of the subject (a) decreases without a corresponding decrease in the mass of the target, then Z (resemblance) is decreased. Since Z is a larger factor in the formula than a, unless there is an additional compensating factor (such as a particularly strong resemblance in aspects other than size), a size difference is generally_ more _significant than the size of the subject. There is a slight exception to this when transfiguring an inanimate subject, as v = 1 if subject is inanimate (and un-bewitched). In that case, the formula is functionally t = ((w_ x _c)/a)_  x _Z, and a and Z are of equal importance. I suggest you experiment with needles to matchsticks, working with differently sized subjects and targets._

_Tiresias Smethwyck_

_\-----_

_To Draco Malfoy,_

_I have received only homework assignments from you for a week and a half now, and I am quite concerned. Is all well?_

_Tiresias Smethwyck_

\-----

_To Sirius Black, Lord of the House of Black, Tiresias Smethwyck, Head of the House of Slytherin, Hogwarts Professor of Transfiguration, sends greetings and good wishes_

_Whereas I have been coordinating Heir Malfoy’s continuing education by Hogwarts staff, and thereby acting as his Head of House,_

_And whereas I have reason to be concerned about his wellbeing,_

_I would like to arrange a meeting with him to discuss the same, as I would were he resident at Hogwarts. If you could do me the favour of hosting a private meeting this weekend, you will have my gratitude._

_Tiresias Smethwyck_


	11. Sharing Memories

Draco was in his potions lab at Grimmauld Place, carefully measuring out salamander blood into his cauldron, when there was an unexpected knock on the door. "Two minutes!" he called out. This stage was too delicate to be interrupted, but once the ingredients incorporated, he would be able to take a break in the process. Steadily, he mixed the potion with precisely four and a half clockwise stirs waited a silver stirring rod, counted to fifty-three, and took the cauldron off the fire. He double-checked the instructions, mentally reviewed the steps he'd taken, cast a preservation charm over the whole thing, and sat back. "Alright, you can come in now!"

He was expecting Sirius, or maybe Remus.  _Possibly_  one of the Tonks family. He was  _not_  expecting Professor Smethwyck.

 

Smethwyck looked around curiously, relaxing somewhat as he took in Draco's surroundings. He (she today, actually, by the looks of it) pulled up a seat while Draco was still trying to figure out what the hell was going on, smiled at him, and said, "You couldn't have sent even a  _short_  note? I was getting quite concerned."

Draco flushed, thinking of the crumpled parchment littering his desk. "I'm sorry, Professor," he replied awkwardly. "I should have, but I got distracted by, well, by the letter I was  _trying_  to write."

Tiresias gave him a long look, and nodded. "Well, you don't have to commit it to parchment now," she said. "Would you like to tell me?"

Draco closed his eyes for a moment and swallowed. "Confidentially?" he checked. "As my head of house?"

Tiresias pulled out her wand and warded the room against eavesdroppers. "Confidentially, as your head of house," she confirmed. "You have my word I will not disclose this information, and neither will I use it for personal advantage."

"...Severus Snape was my godfather," Draco said quietly. "It's been...difficult."

"Ah." Tiresias looked around the room with new interest. "I take it that he's the author of your manuscript?"

Draco nodded. "He saved my life," he murmured. "I know everyone hates him, and I can even understand why, they're not really  _wrong_ , but..."

"But he was your family, and he was good to you," Tiresias finished gently. "Tell me about him. Not Professor Snape, or Severus Snape the Death Eater. Tell me about your godfather."

 

Taking in a shaky breath, Draco nodded, trying to compose himself. "...My birthday's in June," he revealed. "A couple of weeks before the end of term, so Uncle Severus was always at Hogwarts. For as long as I can remember, he'd owl me something for my official birthday celebration - there was always a formal thing with family friends - but he'd come visit the day after school got out, and he'd spend the whole day with me." He sniffed, blinking back tears. "Merlin, when I was seven, I... He never complained about what I wanted to do, never. Things my father never would have put up with...he always said it was my day. He was very serious, not very good at children's games, but he'd let me boss him around and turn pebbles into toy dragons for me, and he always listened to me, even when I was being stupid..."

"You liked dragons, then?" Tiresias prompted.

Draco laughed a little. "Oh, I was obsessed with dragons. Ever since I found out what my name meant. I think I was ten when I finally stopped dreaming about having one of my own to ride. Uncle Severus was the only one who never told me it was impossible when I started up about it."

Tiresias smiled. "What did he say instead?"

"He said, 'I expect you to take every precaution for your safety when you attempt it. The discoveries of many great innovators have been lost because of failed first attempts'." Draco shook his head fondly. "Something like that, anyway. And then he told me about how he once burned his eyebrows off when he made a potions mistake."

Lips twitching, Tiresias commented, "It's rather difficult to imagine Severus Snape without eyebrows."

"It is, isn't it?" Draco agreed, grinning. "A bit of accidental magic on my part turned him blond once, now  _that_  was a sight."

Tiresias started to laugh. "How did he take it?"

"Better than my father," Draco replied simply. "He just said that it was easily fixed and went on with dinner. He was...seeing him as a teacher was so strange at first - not because I didn't think he could teach! He used to teach me a little in the summers. But when he taught me, he was always patient. And in class..."

"Professor Snape had a reputation for being abrupt, harsh, and extremely biased," Tiresias agreed, sitting back. "He was appointed an assistant after that bias crossed the line into persecution. Rather different to the godfather you grew up with."

 

Draco nodded. "I thought, maybe..." He took a deep breath. "Professor, could cruciatus do cumulative damage? Even if the...target was only subjected to it for short periods each time?"

Tiresias frowned as she thought that over. "I don't believe I've heard of it, but opportunities to discover that are obviously very rare. You think your godfather may have been...damaged somehow? Like the Longbottoms?"

"Not like the Longbottoms," Draco said quickly. Uncle Severus' mind had always been crystal clear, under his utmost control. "I thought... He seemed more...temperamental in the winter. And when we were both...at the Manor, he took pain potions even when I couldn't see any source of injury. Not all the time, I don't think he had a dependency or anything. But I think..." He licked his lips. "The Dark Lord, he ruled his... He ruled through fear. His punishments were...very severe." Draco swallowed hard, taking in a deep breath and letting it out, pushing back the memories. "I think that..."

When he trailed off and didn't speak again, Tiresias picked up the thread. "You think that repeated torture by Lord Voldemort left your godfather with some kind of chronic pain," she said softly. 

Draco nodded silently. The first time he'd seen Severus take a pain potion at the Manor, he'd thought nothing of it. But after the third, he'd begun to wonder, though he'd never asked.

"Do you think you should get checked for residual damage?" Tiresias asked delicately.

Draco tensed, swallowed, and shook his head. "Uncle Severus requested me as his assistant, so..." 

"You were shielded," Tiresias concluded.

"Not entirely," Draco murmured. Bellatrix, in particular, had a sadistic streak. "But enough. And there was a potion Uncle Severus would make me take if I /did/ get targeted. It eased the shakes afterwards."

"It sounds like he did his best to keep you safe," Tiresias said quietly.

Draco closed his eyes for a moment. He would /not/ cry. "He saved my life," he confessed. "I was - I was meant to kill Dumbledore. And I failed, and I would have died for that failure, but he... Letting everyone in was enough for the - for You-Know-Who, since Dumbledore /was/ dead. And Uncle Sev, he told me I should surrender to the Ministry."

Tiresias reached out and gently squeezed Draco's hand. "I'm sorry for your loss," she said softly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not a Snape apologist, but even bad people can have their good sides.


	12. A New Ally

And then there was the day when he came downstairs from the lab to find  _Granger_  in the kitchen. "What are  _you_  doing here?" he blurted out. 

"What are  _you_  doing here?" she snapped back. She looked...different to what he remembered. A blue robe, open at the front, over neat black trousers and a white shirt. Her hair was pulled back into a tight, thick braid, and she'd replaced her old ever-present book-bag with a slim leather satchel he recognised from Stowe & Packers' business range. Her expression, however, was exactly as intimidating as he remembered.

"You are aware that Lord Black is my cousin, aren't you?" Draco pointed out.  _Surely_  she'd learnt at least the basic genealogies of the old families by now. "I have a potions lab here."

"A potions lab!" she exclaimed. "What on earth are you making potions for?"

"For my NEWTs," Draco said stiffly. "Unlike  _you_ , I was not afforded the opportunity to complete them in the usual way."

"Because you helped a bunch of Death Eaters into Hogwarts!" Granger yelled, advancing on him.

Taking a step back, Draco calculated his options. If he attacked, he would be blamed, punished. If  _she_  attacked, and he defended himself, he would probably be treated as if he had attacked. If he ran...no, he couldn't bear to run. He opened his mouth to speak, when the door slammed open and Lady Augusta Longbottom strode in. 

" _What_  is all this clamour about?" she demanded. "I could hear you from the sitting room!"

Thinking quickly, Draco turned, and bowed deeply. The Longbottoms were historically opposed to the Malfoys, but Lady Longbottom reputedly had close ties to Professor McGonagall and Aunt Andromeda, both of whom had been kind to him. At the least, she was unlikely to allow Granger to attack him. "My apologies, Lady Longbottom," he said, as smoothly as he could. "I was startled to see Madam Granger here, and I'm afraid I responded impolitely."

" _Madam!"_  Granger objected. "What - "

Lady Longbottom gave her a quelling look, and said to Draco, "Your apology is accepted, Heir Malfoy. If you were unaware Ms Granger and I would be present, I can understand your...uncomposed reaction."

Draco hid a wince. Composure was something he ought to have mastered by now, as a noble Heir already of-age. "Thank you, ma'am."

"You have  _my_  apologies for Ms Granger's behaviour," Lady Longbottom went on, making Granger puff up with indignation. 

Draco shook his head. "Thank you, ma'am, and your apology is, of course, accepted," he said, "but I did not interpret Madam Granger's words as a representation of yourself. The matter is personal, and does not concern the relationship between my House and yours unless words proceed to wands." There. So long as Lady Longbottom accepted his terms, he had a defence against Granger now, and formal recourse if she attacked him.

Lady Longbottom hummed, eyeing the two of them. "Then I will leave the two of you to your  _quiet_  discussion," she said firmly, and swept out.

 

"Mada-!" Granger cut herself off, and continued in a hiss. " _Madam?_ I am  _eighteen!_ "

Draco rolled his eyes. "It's not a comment on your  _age_ , Granger," he drawled. "I was being polite."

"Polite?" she scoffed. "No-one calls me  _madam_."

"No-one?" Draco asked, raising his eyebrows. "Not even, oh, Flint? Burke? Greengrass?"

Granger eyed him suspiciously. "No...they all call me Ms Granger."

Draco shook his head. " 'Ms' or 'miss'? They're traditionalists, they  _should_  be calling you 'madam'." At her apparent lack of comprehension, he rolled his eyes again. "For goodness' sake, haven't you read an etiquette book? 'Madam' is a courtesy title for non-noble ladies of importance,  _such as yourself._ "

"Of course I've read etiquette books," Granger replied, affronted. "And I'm just a secretary!"

"Secretary to the  _Chief Warlock_ ," Draco pointed out. "Merlin's beard, surely you're aware of the degree to which wizarding society runs on personal connections and influence? You're not a Ministry employee, Granger. You're the gatekeeper who determines people's access to Lady Longbottom, which makes you one of the most influential witches in Britain outside the nobility."

Granger's eyes narrowed. "Maybe that's how  _you_  would think of it, but I won't participate in that sort of corruption."

"It's not  _corruption._ " Draco rolled his eyes. "Ask Lady Longbottom, or Aunt Andromeda, or Cousin Sirius if you don't believe me. It's politics. If you wanted a job where the rules were written down, you should have gone into the Ministry. But the Wizengamot runs on politics, and if you want to be an active player in that game, you need to demand respect. That means 'madam' from the traditionalists, courtesy from everyone, and for goodness' sake visit a tailor."

"...are you giving me  _advice?_ " Granger asked warily.

Draco blinked. "I suppose I am."

They stared at each other for a long, awkward moment. 

"What NEWTs are you taking?" Granger asked abruptly.

"...Transfiguration, Charms, Defence, Potions, and Runes," Draco replied slowly. "Why?"

"I got Os in all of those," Granger said. Draco wasn't particularly surprised. "I'll help you, if you help me with...etiquette, and things."

Draco raised his eyebrows. "Cousin Sirius and Mr Lupin are tutoring me, and I'm doing correspondence courses with Professors Smethwyck, Flitwick, and Babbling. Why would I need  _your_  help?"

"Maybe because I still have all my notes?" Granger pointed out. "And Sirius and Remus are great at wandwork, but not the best at potions or runes. Even Professor  _Snape_  said I was good at potions."

Draco went cold. "I would appreciate it," he said quietly, "if you would avoid talking about Professor Snape in my presence. I think we are likely to disagree on the topic, and I would rather prevent an outbreak of hostilities."

Granger narrowed her eyes. "If you don't talk about Harry, we'll call it a deal."

"That's fair," Draco agreed, holding out his hand.

Warily, Granger reached out and shook it. "Call me Hermione," she said. " 'Granger' seems unfriendly."

"First lesson," Draco said. "Permission to use first names must always be granted explicitly, and should never be assumed. Last names are not 'unfriendly'; they are formal and polite, and are the appropriate form of address unless you are friends with your interlocutor."

"...still call me Hermione," Granger decided. "But I'll keep that in mind."


	13. Muggles

_Draco Malfoy, Heir of the House of Malfoy, sends greetings and good wishes to Madam Hermione Granger_

_As during the Christmas break, I will be visiting Hogwarts so that my teachers can evaluate my progress, and as I wish to make the best use of the little time they have available to consult with me, I intend to ensure that I have improved my practical work as much as I can independently before that date._

_Accordingly, I have enclosed a short list of potions practicals that I have completed imperfectly, and I request your commentary while I re-brew them. Please note that my theoretical knowledge is at O level, and I do_ not _need your assistance with it._

_Draco Malfoy_

\-----

_Dear Draco Malfoy,_

_I'll bring my notes just in case. Does Tuesday evening work?_

_Hermione Granger_

\-----

_Draco Malfoy, Heir of the House of Malfoy, to Madam Hermione Granger sends greetings_

_I understand it is increasingly fashionable to address letters the muggle way, but I must insist that I am not your_ 'dear' _anything. Please refrain from such unnecessarily intimate terms of address in future._

_I will meet you Tuesday, 8pm, at Grimmauld Place._

_Draco Malfoy_

\-----

_Draco Malfoy,_

_Among_ modern _people, 'dear' is considered a_ formal _beginning to a letter, not 'unnecessarily intimate'._

_Tuesday._

_Hermione Granger_

\-----

_Draco Malfoy, Heir of the House of Malfoy, to Madam Hermione Granger sends greetings_

_I apologise for my outburst yesterday. I have given your suggestions due consideration, and concede that you were not incorrect in your interpretation of the recipe. Raising my voice was ungentlemanly, insulting you even more so, and I regret it._

_Nevertheless, for the sake of justice I must point out that your manner was exceedingly rude and provoking. I am not an idiot, Granger, and my marks in potions have not ever been the result of professorial bias, but my own deliberately cultivated knowledge and skill. Furthermore, unlike you, my training in potions techniques and theory began several years before my attendance at Hogwarts. I am aware that the subject is not one your close friends showed great proficiency in, and you are therefore used to tutoring to a lower level. But I am not at their level, and I would appreciate you not confusing me for Weasley in future._

_Draco Malfoy_

\-----

_ Dear _ _Draco Malfoy,_

_I'd like to remind you that Ron is my boyfriend, and you're not going to get very far with me by insulting him._

_If you don't want my advice, you don't have to take it._

_Hermione Granger_

\-----

_Draco Malfoy, Heir of the House of Malfoy, sends greetings to H. Granger_

_First, I made the assertion that your close friends, including Weasley, were not top potions students. This is clearly factual, and therefore no insult._

_Second, if you expect to continue to present your 'advice' in the same patronising manner during future meetings, then I_ don't _want it._

_Third, I have requested already that you do not call me 'dear'._

_Fourth, I remind you that this arrangement was intended to be mutually beneficial. I proposed to teach you the rudiments of polite behaviour in exchange for your assistance; yet you have so far ignored my every recommendation. There is no point in my teaching if you do not wish to learn._

_Draco Malfoy_

\-----

_Malfoy,_

_If you insist on being so insufferably rude, arrogant, and racist, you are unlikely to be worth anything as an etiquette tutor anyway._

_Hermione Granger_

\-----

_Heir Malfoy to H. Granger_

_I am Heir of the House of Malfoy, eldest and only son of Lord Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Malfoy, eldest scion of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. I can trace my ancestry back for more than a thousand years, and am among the highest ranking individuals in wizarding Britain. I have been trained from birth to move in the highest circles, in preparation for my accession to lordship._

You _are a muggleborn for whom an obsession with academics and the favouritism of a teacher has resulted in an extraordinarily unusual adoption into the inner circle of a powerful witch who, inexplicably, retains your services despite your blatant ignorance._

_Draco Malfoy_

\-----

The next time Draco arrived at Grimmauld Place, Sirius heard him on the stairs and called him into the sitting room. Draco wasn't quite sure what to make of the expression on his face, which was a worrying sign all on its own. Then Sirius said, "I had an interesting conversation with Hermione a few days ago," and Draco's heart sank.

"I'm sorry, sir," he said hurriedly, "but she's insufferable! Thanks to her interference, I nearly exploded the potions lab, and if I'd put my wand away like she wanted, I  _would_  have!"

Sirius cleared his throat. "Her manner can be irritating," he conceded, "but so can yours. And by her account, you weren't the pinnacle of politeness either."

"She thinks she knows everything, but she doesn't know  _anything_  important!" Draco blurted out. 

Sirius hummed. "Well, I had a chat with Remus about this, and he suggested we go on a field trip. How much time have you spent in Muggle London?"

Draco's eyes widened. "I haven't," he admitted nervously. "When we need to go somewhere in London, we floo. What...what are we going to do?"

Sirius nodded firmly. "We're going to go to the Imperial War Museum, travelling the muggle way, and you're not going to insult anything or anyone we see, or complain about it, and you're going to take a look at some of the things muggles have done in the last hundred years, and you're going to think about what Hermione and other muggleborns might have grown up thinking was important. Understood?"

He couldn't - he wouldn't be  _able_  to do this. "I don't have muggle clothes," he said, rather than raise any of his other objections out loud.

Sirius grinned. "I do," he said. "You can borrow some of mine. Casual muggle clothes aren't tailored, you won't raise any eyebrows."

\-----

The clothes were awful. The trousers were coarse, the shirt was baggy, the jacket (made of the same fabric as the trousers) only just reached his hips, and the whole thing left him feeling uncomfortably exposed. The only normal things Sirius let him take were his wand, hidden up the sleeve of his jacket, and a few galleons in case they got separated and he needed to catch the Knight Bus back to a wizarding area. 

"You speak French, don't you?" Sirius asked as they started walking down the street. 

Draco rolled his eyes. " _Of course I do,"_ he replied in that language. " _Why?"_

" _Because your confusion will be less obvious if people think you're foreign_ ," Sirius replied.  _"And this way you can ask me questions about things muggles grow up knowing."_

A moment later, their conversation was drowned out by deafening noise as they turned onto a street that - well, the word street didn't do it. The road had two lanes of traffic going each way, loud muggle vehicles with no obvious source of propulsion, but remarkable speed when the sheer  _mass_  allowed them to move freely.

Sirius glanced at him and smirked. " _You think this is bad, wait until we get on the Tube."_

 

The 'Tube'  _was_  worse. By the time they emerged back into the sunlight, Draco was panting, his heart racing in his chest, fists clenched against the urge to reach for his wand and do something,  _anything_ , to get out of the confines of that airless, crowded space. 

"Oh, hey," Sirius said, seeming to realise this was more than just culture shock. " _There's a park around the corner, grass and trees, can you make it that far? It's okay, I promise you're safe_."

Shamefaced, Draco nodded, letting Sirius lead him. He should be more in control than this. Better than this. But the noise down there had been an assault against his senses, and every stranger in those busy crowds was a potential threat. He couldn't track everything going on around him, couldn't assess the situation fast enough, couldn't retreat anywhere...

 _"We're here,"_  Sirius said, leading Draco to the base of an old oak.  _"Here, sit down. Same earth, same grass, same trees. What do you need?"_

 _"...Muggle-repelling charm,"_  Draco begged tightly.  _"Please, Cousin. Just around us."_  If he knew that only wizards would approach them, maybe he'd be able to stop scanning for unknowns.

Sirius gave him an evaluating look, then discreetly took out his wand and cast the charm on the area around the trunk of the tree. 

 _"Thank you,_ " Draco said breathlessly, finally feeling safe enough to close his eyes.  _Deep breaths_ , he reminded himself.  _Clear your mind. Clear..._

 

It took a full ten minutes before Draco was willing for Sirius to take down the charm. " _I'm sorry,"_  he said quietly.  _"We can keep going now."_

 _"No, I'm sorry,"_  Sirius replied, meeting Draco's gaze steadily. " _Moony said this would be hard for you, but I didn't realise it would be actively distressing. I didn't mean to do that - and there were other ways to get here than going by Tube. I should have spoken to you more about what this was going to be like and made sure it wouldn't scare you."_

 _"I'm_ not _scared,"_ Draco objected instantly.  _"I was...stressed."_ He was aware as he said it that it was a pathetic lie, but he couldn't do better right now. 

Sirius raised his eyebrows, then nodded. " _If you say so_ ," he said. " _But we'll apparate home, to avoid further...stress. And I should warn you. The museum is about very, very big wars."_

" _I rather assumed that_ ," Draco said dryly. " _Considering it's called the Imperial War Museum._ "

Sirius shook his head. " _Bigger than whatever you imagined,"_  he said. " _Multiple countries on each side. Tens of millions of fighters. Tens of millions killed."_

Draco's eyes widened in shock.  _"You can't be serious_ ," he whispered. He didn't think there were even a million wizards in the world. The  _scale_  of what Sirius was describing...

Sirius' lips twitched. (Only later did Draco realise it was because of the pun.) " _Come and see_ ," he said.


	14. Sentencing

"All rise, this court is now in session."

Draco stood, trying to hide his nervousness. His palms were sweating, and he discreetly wiped them on his robe. Barely listening, he sat when everyone else did, and his full attention was only caught when Lady Longbottom addressed him directly.

"Draco Malfoy. One year ago, we found you guilty of associating with a criminal organisation, and assault occasioning bodily harm. The other charges brought against you are not going to be revisited today, as you were determined to be not guilty through reasons of insufficient evidence or evidence of duress." Her tone was firm, and the words were clearly directed at any members of the Wizengamot present who were feeling aggressive. "You were placed on probation for one year, during which time you were expected to make recompense to Katherine Bell for costs resulting from her injuries; assist Headmistress McGonagall with the repairs to Hogwarts School; cooperate with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement in their investigations subsequent to the war; and refrain from voluntary contact with any known Death Eaters, Snatchers, or other persons with close ties to Voldemort's organisation. Today we will hear evidence regarding your fulfilment of the terms of this probation, and I will decide your ultimate sentence accordingly."

Draco nodded his understanding.

"Then I call the first witness: Minerva McGonagall."

 

_"I must congratulate you," McGonagall had said, the last time they met, "on your persistence in pursuing this goal. I expect to see excellent results from you."_

_Draco glanced at her as she led him down towards the dungeons. He had his potions practical first. "Thank you, Professor," he replied. "I've done my best."_

_"According to Tiresias, you've done extremely well," she said firmly. "You're his favourite student."_

_Draco sternly told his cheeks not to flush - it was a curse of his pale skin that no matter how controlled his expression was, he couldn't fully hide his emotions. "Professor Smethwyck is very kind to say so," he said steadily. "I believe I have an unfair advantage, however - unlike most of his students, he is not required to discipline my mishaps."_

_A corner of McGonagall's mouth twitched into a slight smile. "Perhaps," she agreed. "Nevertheless, he is proud of you. And I am as well."_

_Now Draco definitely_ was _blushing, and rather than embarrass himself with stammering, he kept silent and focused on getting his emotions under control. McGonagall, kindly, didn't say anything about it, not even when the chill of the dungeons had him blinking back tears._ Deep breaths _, he reminded himself._ Clear the mind.  _He had his exam to focus on now. He did not have time for grief._

 

"...Mr Malfoy performed his assigned duties skillfully, thoughtfully, and diligently, and his insights were extremely helpful in rearranging our use of the castle for the ease of both staff and students," McGonagall was saying, when Draco surfaced from the memory. "As Headmistress, I personally consider his debt to Hogwarts repaid."

\-----

When Dawlish was called up to speak about Draco's assistance to the DMLE, he drifted out again, remembering his goodbye to Teddy that morning.

 

" _Teddy. I..."_

_Teddy looked up at him with large, currently brown eyes._

_Draco picked him up, cuddling him close. "Teddy, I'm going on a trip for a while," he explained. "I might come back today, or it might take longer...maybe a lot longer."_

_Teddy smacked him in the chest, grabbing clumsily at his tie. He was a quiet child so far, though they didn't know why._

_"...I'll miss you," Draco admitted quietly. "I hope...if they_ do _make me go away for awhile, I hope you remember me when I get back."_

_Teddy's gaze drifted over to Mrs Weasley, who was waiting to take him for the day, and he started squirming to get down._

_With a sigh, Draco put him on the ground, murmuring a quiet goodbye, then turning to go._

 

He'd done everything he could this past year to appear 'reformed' to the Wizengamot, to fulfil the requirements of his probation. Every witness called could attest to that. Surely it would be enough?

\-----

Granger, positioned behind and to one side of Lady Longbottom in case she should need anything, met his gaze during the closing discussion, giving Draco a small smile of encouragement. It was odd to think it, but they were probably friends now.

 

 _"Sorry I'm late_ ," _Granger panted as she burst into the Black library, her hair dishevelled. "I_ told _everyone they needed to get their gifts to me yesterday to send to Ha-"_

_Draco got up, closing the door behind her without a word. "Sit down and breathe, Hermione," he drawled, fetching the tea tray and opening the pot to heat the water inside. "I'm not going to hex you for being late. Or for mentioning Potter."_

_She huffed, slumping down in a chair and catching her breath. "No, that was my side of the agreement," she commented, dropping her satchel on the floor. "Well, anyway, we always send post to him and Neville in a batch, because the International Floo Post is so expensive, and_ everyone _was late getting me their Christmas gifts for the two of them, and with all the extra post going through right now, if I didn't get it all sent this morning, Neville might not get his on time."_

_Draco poured tea for both of them, passing her a cup. After a moment's contemplation, he carefully replied, "I hope you won't think it too provoking of me to say I hope they're doing well?"_

_Taking the cup automatically, Granger gave him a surprised smile. "They are, actually. They complain no end about how boring some of the work is, but I think they're both enjoying themselves."_

_"Like you complained about bowing practice?" Draco asked, moving the conversation back onto familiar ground._

_Hermione raised her eyebrows. "More like how_ you _complained when I gave you handwriting practice last month because your written runes were too inconsistent."_

 

The sound of the gavel brought Draco's attention back to the present, and he tensed. "Mr Malfoy," Lady Longbottom said sternly, "do you have anything to say before I make my decision?"

Draco rose to his feet, resisting the urge to wipe his sweaty palms on his robe. "Madam," he said politely, "I can only say that I most profoundly regret my actions in the war, and that I found no earlier opportunity to separate myself from...V-Voldemort, and his Death Eaters. This past year, under the guardianship of my aunt, I have been granted a chance to build ties of family and friendship with people who are far better than those I was previously surrounded with, and with their aid, to begin to build a life in which I can serve the wizarding community that I helped to harm." He swallowed hard, taking a breath, then went on with his prepared speech. "I understand that - that some time in Azkaban may be considered...just compensation for my actions, but it could not...could not make me more remorseful." Aware of his stumbling words, Draco paused again, taking another deep breath. "My guilt has already been determined. I only beg, Madam Longbottom, that your judgement be merciful, and that it allows me to continue the rehabilitation that your mercy began a year ago." He bowed, and sat, struggling to compose himself as he awaited his sentence.

"When you came before me a year ago," Lady Longbottom said, her gaze roving about the room, "I saw a young man, almost young enough to be called a child, who had been guided by evil persons for much of his life, and had committed evil deeds with few chances to turn away from his path. Today, I see that same young man, but this time, one who has taken the chances he was given, and has striven to distance himself as far as he could from the evils of his past. Nevertheless..." Her gaze now turned to Draco. "Those evil deeds  _were_  committed. Your remorse does not erase them. And so, I hereby sentence Draco Malfoy to twelve months in Azkaban."

 

Draco went white. His blood was rushing in his ears, memories of Bellatrix...the others too, but especially Bellatrix...worn thin and sharp and mad by Azkaban's walls, her panic at the proximity of Dementors, her rage at her own fear...

"Draco! _"_  Sirius demanded, almost shouting. " _Look at me."_

When or how Sirius had come to his side, Draco didn't know. He was barely aware of his surroundings. But he met Sirius' gaze, his breathing harsh in his throat.

"You will survive this," Sirius told him, low and urgent. "You will come home, and you will come home sane. The guards there are human now. You  _will_  come home, Draco. Your life isn't over. Do you understand? You'll come home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This series isn't abandoned! I have ideas still percolating in the back of my head, and a few scenes already figured out. I can't promise anything like regular updates, but if you've got questions, I'm happy to answer them in the comments. (Please leave comments!)
> 
> (Also, for the record, I have a whole bunch of reasoning as to why Draco got the sentence he did, so feel free to ask.)


	15. Summer

_Draco_ ,

_I'm sorry it was Andy who visited and not me. Too many bad memories. I'll work on it._

_Sirius_

 

\-----

 

_To Draco Malfoy, Heir of the House of Malfoy, a successful graduate of Slytherin House, Professor Tiresias Smethwyck, Head of Slytherin House, sends greetings and good wishes for your health._

_I was sorry indeed to hear from the Headmistress the length of time you are expected to remain where you are. Even reformed, I cannot imagine the atmosphere on that island is less than depressing. Please feel free to write to me at any time._

_Your teacher and friend,_

_Tiresias Smethwyck_

 

\-----

 

_To Draco Malfoy,_

_I hope you're alright. I know there's been a lot of changes to Azkaban since the war, but it's still prison, after all. Sirius and Remus are really upset that they can't visit you right now, so please don't hold it against them. They'd be there if they could. I suppose it's a little odd, but...I think I'll miss our arguments._

_Write me if you need anything,_

_Hermione Granger_

 

\-----

 

_Draco,_

_Got all the way to the boat this time, but couldn't stand to get in. Sorry._

_Sirius_

 

\-----

 

_To Draco Malfoy, Heir of the House of Malfoy, Andromeda Tonks of the House of Black, Proxy of the House of Malfoy, sends greetings,_

_We spoke on Sunday, but I'd like to consult you on some official matters._

  1. _A bill to be voted on in the Wizengamot (full text below) regarding modifications to the Underage Use of Magic regulations in respect to Muggleborns. What is your opinion?_
  2. _Tonks tells me Malfoy Manor is going to be released back to you by the DMLE soon. Do you want it ignored, cleaned, restored, renovated, or something else?_
  3. _The house in Spinners' End has been sold, and the proceeds added to the Snape vault. If you would like me to invest them, please let me know_



_Andromeda Tonks_

 

_\-----_

 

_Professor Tiresias Smethwyck, Transfiguration Master, Head of Slytherin House, Hogwarts Professor of Transfiguration sends his congratulations to Draco Malfoy, Heir of the House of Malfoy_

_Your NEWTs results have arrived, and you did extremely well!_

 

_Ancient Runes: EE_

_Charms: O_

_Defense Against the Dark Arts: O_

_Potions: O_

_Transfiguration: O_

 

_Congratulations, Mr Malfoy. You are the first student I've heard of to study for their NEWTs by distance, and your success was remarkable. I urge you to be proud of yourself, as I am proud._

_Tiresias Smethwyck_

 

_\-----_

 

_To Draco Malfoy, Heir of the House of Malfoy, Professor Felix Roth, Son of the House of Roth, Hogwarts Professor of History, sends his greetings_

_When one embarks on a new endeavour, it is always wise to first gather resources, knowledge, and companions to assist you. I find myself embarking on a new and great endeavour, Heir Malfoy, and as my guide is the suggestions of yourself and my colleague Professor Smethwyck, I write this letter to ask your assistance._

_Subsequent to your investigations last year, Headmistress McGonagall has given me leave to develop a plan for a portrait gallery where members of the public might learn about wizarding history. If you are willing to engage in a correspondence with me on this subject, I would be most grateful._

_Professor Felix Roth_

 

_\-----_

 

_To Draco,_

_Almost all O's! Congratulations!_

_Hermione_

 

_\-----_

 

_Wotcher, Draco!_

_Congrats on your NEWTs! You could be an Auror with marks like that! (Just kidding - I know you're already sick of Ministry offices.) I wouldn't have guessed it a year ago, but we're all missing you around here, especially Teddy. He's been blonde for two days now, and it doesn't look like anyone else we know, I can tell you that. Speaking of other people we know, you should write to Dad. Or at least tell Mum he can write or visit or something. He's worrying, you know how he gets._

_Tonks_

 

_\-----_

 

_To Draco Malfoy, Tiresias Smethwyck sends greetings,_

_No, I don't think it's inappropriate to write to her at all. Don't frame it as an assumed success, of course, but I'd definitely want to take advantage of it as a textbook, at least for the NEWT students who need to start thinking about varying potions. Yes, it will benefit you to have it on the booklist, but it's not purely a self-interested project. Besides, authors contact us all the time. If you'd like, I can raise the subject for you informally?_

_Tiresias_

 

_\-----_

 

_Draco,_

_Moony thinks I'm an idiot, but I've spent enough time on this side of the water that I think I can stand the boat trip now. I'm going to try to see you this weekend._

_Sirius_

 

_\-----_

 

_Dear Draco Malfoy,_

_Sirius feels terrible that he had to cut his visit short yesterday. If you can, please write to reassure him. He worries about you constantly._

_Remus Lupin_

 

_\-----_

 

_Professor Rebecca Jacobi, Daughter of Jacobi, Potions Master, Hogwarts Professor of Potions, sends greetings to Draco Malfoy, Heir of the House of Malfoy_

_Thank you for your letter, Mr Malfoy, and for arranging the advanced reader's copy I received. I agree with Tiresias - it would be an excellent book for NEWT students to study. I'll put it on the seventh-year booklist, and I'll order a couple of copies for the main library, and we'll see how we go._

_Rebecca Jacobi_

 

_\-----_

 

_To Draco Malfoy, Tiresias Smethwyck sends greetings_

_I think your godfather would be incredibly proud of you, Draco, and I can't think of a legacy that suits your memory of him better. I hope in your future career you continue to use that love of potions that he shared with you, whether it is in home-brewing, teaching, or some other context._

_Tiresias_

 

_\-----_

 

_Professor Felix Roth, Master of History, to Draco Malfoy sends greetings_

_Following your suggestion, I have endeavoured to catalogue a small selection of the castle's portraits. Even including the scarcest information, it is clear that it becomes an extraordinarily large task. Considering my duty to my students, I shall not commit to its undertaking in the scarce remaining weeks of summer, but instead shall be considering other planning matters. I am curious to hear what organising principles you would desire for such a gallery. Would you highlight portraits or persons of great significance? Would you group them by origin, or by time period? How would you move through such a space?_

_Professor Felix Roth_

 

_\-----_

 

_Greetings to Draco Malfoy from Andromeda Tonks,_

_The final paperwork for the book has been lodged with Gringotts, and copies will be for sale by August. I think the bursary is an excellent idea, but I'd like to make some inquiries before I try to set out particular terms. The curse-breakers we hired have gone over the whole Manor now, and have isolated the various Dark items. Do you want them left as-is, removed to Gringotts, or neutralised? I'm sure some are heirlooms; it's always that way with the old families._

_Andromeda Tonks_

 

_\-----_

 

_Draco,_

_I told you I'd manage it!_

_Sirius_

 

_(I'll keep an eye on him - Remus)_

 

_\-----_

 

_To Draco Malfoy,_

_I was in Diagon Alley today, even though it's busy with the end-of-summer crowds, and what did I see on sale in Flourish & Blotts?_

_Even though you_ never mentioned it _, I assume the book by Professor Snape is your work - especially considering you wrote the foreword. I know I promised to be silent about him, but it really is a brilliant book._

_Are you doing okay?_

_Hermione Granger_

 

_\-----_

 

_To Draco Malfoy, Tiresias Smethwyck sends greetings_

_A new batch of young Slytherins means my spare time is about to decrease significantly, so I apologise in advance if my letters are tardy. There's more of them than last year, both in total, and in proportion to the other houses, which is promising, and there were cheers for them at the Sorting. Your publication has been a topic of discussion in the staff room, and has been met with interest and approval, and Professor Roth, you'll be amused to hear, is already scheming to assign portrait-based homework to his students. Many hands make light work, I think is the saying._

_Wish me luck for the new year,_

_Tiresias Smethwyck_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Draco's time in Azkaban is going to be told exclusively in letters written TO him - hopefully the format works for you guys


	16. Autumn

_Lord Theodore Nott, Head of the House of Nott, sends greetings to Draco Malfoy, Heir of the House of Malfoy_

_Thank you for your letter of condolence, but my father's death was not in any way a shock. He was not in good health before his sentencing, and that had only deteriorated during his imprisonment._

_In case you aren't aware, shortly prior to my father's death, the Greengrass family consented to a marriage alliance, and once the mourning period is over, planning will begin for my wedding to Daphne. Should you be available at that time, you will, of course, receive an invitation, as one of our close friends._

_I look forward to the opportunity to discuss a friendship between the House of Nott and the House of Malfoy._

_Lord Theodore Nott_

_\-----_

_Draco,_

_Sirius tells me you seemed worried about something on the weekend, and you wouldn't tell him about it. I know we're not terribly close, but if there's anything I can do to help, please let me know._

_Remus Lupin_

_\-----_

_To Draco Malfoy, Tiresias Smethwyck sends greetings,_

_Of course it's strange to hear about. You've been separated from your friends and peers for more than two full years now, and Theo's letter was a reminder of that. Regardless of their politics, they were your community. Seeing them take steps into the adult world - both marriage, and succeeding to a lordship - is understandable jarring._

_Have you considered the future of the Malfoy lordship at all? It's unknown how long your father will remain in Azkaban before the lordship passes to you. It might be something worth discussing with Andromeda or Sirius._

_Tiresias Smethwyck_

_\-----_

_Draco,_

_Why on earth are you asking me about Azkaban survival rates? Do I need to be worried about you? I will tell Sirius if you don't give me a good enough reason._

_Hermione_

_\-----_

_Oh alright, not Sirius, then. And I'll look into it for you. But if you give me reason to worry, I'm going to tell Remus._

_Hermione_

_\-----_

_To Draco Malfoy, Heir of the House of Malfoy, Andromeda Tonks of the House of Black sends greetings_

_I think you're very sensible to consider it. For as long as your father remains the Lord of Malfoy - and that may be a decade or more - you will be under his shadow in the public arena. It may be possible to find an alternative, especially considering it was a life sentence, although I doubt you'll be able to implement it until your release in the summer. I will make some enquiries on your behalf._

_Please do keep in mind that you will remain a son of the House of Black, regardless of what happens with your father._

_Andromeda Tonks_

_\-----_

_To Draco Malfoy, Heir of the House of Malfoy, Daphne Greengrass, daughter of the House of Greengrass, sends friendly greetings_

_Thank you for your letter, Draco. I have missed you, these last two years. And, to address the concerns you hinted at - I am quite pleased to be engaged to Theo. I'm not madly in love with him, but we are good friends, and as Lady Nott, I will have a great many freedoms I would not have as an unwed daughter of Greengrass. He has promised me a partnership, and his treatment of me over the last few years supports my belief in that promise._

_If you're allowed to write to us all now, do consider getting in touch with Millicent. She's apprenticing at the Welsh Magical Menagerie, and she hasn't had a lot of support from her family._

_Daphne Greengrass_

_\-----_

_From Andomeda Tonks, daughter of the House of Black, to Draco Malfoy, son of the House of Black,_

_It is Sirius' right to choose his own heir, whether that is you, me, Teddy, Harry, or a future adopted child of his own. It is not an easy decision, and you are not entitled to his reasoning. If there is an argument you wish to make regarding one of those options, I expect you to do it tactfully._

_Andromeda Tonks_

_\-----_

_To Draco Malfoy, from Tiresias Smethwyck, greetings_

_If my understanding of the family lines is correct, Andromeda is the closest relative in the male line, you are the oldest male in the female line, Teddy is the next male in the female line, and Harry is a distant relative. Of course, traditionally in England, inheritance is through the male line by default, but I warn you, that is by no means universal. Andromeda's gender does not in any way affect her ability to lead a House. I encourage you to ask Professor Roth about the history of the matter, in England and other countries._

_And consider also: do you really want to be the Heir of House Black?_

_Tiresias Smethwyck_

_\-----_

_Draco,_

_Of course I'm not missing my next visit._

_Sirius_

_\-----_

_To Draco Malfoy, from Millicent Bulstrode_

_Thanks for the letter! Working at the Menagerie's great, even if Mum pitched an absolute fit. We're famous for dragons, of course, and the unicorn herd, but we've got an Aethonan herd with a few porlocks keeping an eye on it, and smaller enclosures with knarls, mokes, nifflers, jarveys, salamanders, and jobberknolls. We've also got a couple of working crups who help us out with the sheep. (It's easier to keep sheep for the dragons than be buying in meat all the time.) I'm not ready for the dragons yet - you've gotta do two full years before they let you do that - but I've got to say, I even like the sheep, dumb as they are. I think I'm going to try getting a job here after my apprenticeship._

_Millicent Bulstrode_

_\-----_

_To Draco Malfoy,_

_I understand that you're frustrated that Sirius appears to be ignoring the succession problem, but I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't pressure him. It's my own fault we won't be having children, and especially with Harry in mind, it's a difficult topic. The time of year doesn't help._

_Moving on, your idea for his birthday is very thoughtful, and I think he would appreciate it. I'll get Andromeda's help finding a restoration specialist, but as you requested, they will be paid from your funds._

_Remus Lupin_

_\-----_

_Draco,_

_Sorry about my mood yesterday. I hate Halloween._

_And thank you for my birthday present! It's good to see Andy on the tapestry again._

_Sirius_

_\-----_

_To Draco Malfoy, Tiresias Smethwyck sends greetings_

_Slytherin won the first Quidditch match of the season today! There was some resentment from Gryffindor, but it was a fair game, and the staff are ready to reinforce that. As I write this, there is a rather rowdy celebration going on in the Slytherin Common Room - I've told them I'll turn a blind eye so long as it stays in the common room._

_I'm sorry that this letter was a little slow; I'm now taking first through fifth year students, and Minerva only the NEWT classes, so my free time has decreased. How are you?_

_Tiresias Smethwyck_

_\-----_

_To Draco Malfoy, Andromeda Tonks sends greetings,_

_I'm sorry about the surprise visit; Sirius was fretting about you in the colder weather, and I wanted to check up on you so I could be the voice of reason. I didn't mean to ambush you._

_Andromeda_

_\-----_

_Pansy Parkinson sends greetings to her dear friend Draco Malfoy,_

_What's this Daphne tells me about you being able to write to us now? And I haven't heard from you? Shame on you, Draco. I've missed you. Do write back to me; I expect to hear all the gossip._

_Pansy_

_\-----_

_Draco,_

_I'm sorry. The cold makes it all worse over there. I'll work on it more._

_Sirius_


	17. Winter

_Draco,_

_Are you alright? You didn't reply to Sirius' letter, and it's been longer than usual. Andromeda's going to visit this weekend, whether Sirius makes it over or not. It's possible he won't, I'm afraid._

_Remus Lupin_

 

_\------_

 

_To Draco,_

_Are you doing alright in the cold weather? If you start getting sick, make sure you tell someone. We got snow in London today, and I know the weather's worse near Azkaban._

_Hermione_

 

_\-----_

 

_To Draco Malfoy, Tiresias Smethwyck sends Christmas greetings_

_If I didn't have all this marking to do, I'd be having a wonderful time. As it is, and with half a dozen Slytherins here for the holidays, I'm looking on the bright side and enjoying my unscheduled days. I hope you've been well since your last letter._

_Tiresias Smethwyck_

 

_\-----_

 

_Draco,_

_Merry Christmas from all of us! We can't send you much, so have a photo of Teddy playing with the wrapping paper from all his presents. (He found the paper more exciting than the gifts.)_

_Sirius, Remus, Andromeda, Ted, Tonks, and Teddy_

 

_\-----_

 

_From Lord Theodore Nott to Draco Malfoy, Heir Malfoy_

_Merry Christmas_

 

_\-----_

 

_From Daphne Greengrass to Draco Malfoy_

_Merry Christmas_

 

_\-----_

 

_Draco,_

_Merry Christmas_

_Millicent_

 

_\-----_

 

_To Draco, from Pansy_

_Merry Christmas_

 

_\-----_

 

_Draco,_

_Merry Christmas. Hurry up and write back to me._

_Hermione_

 

\-----

 

_Draco,_

_That was hardly a proper reply. I wrote you a foot-long letter before Christmas and what you sent me was barely an inch._

_Hermione_

 

_\-----_

 

_To Draco,_

_Sirius is starting to worry about you, and so is Andromeda, which is even more concerning. If there's anything any of us can do to help, please tell me._

_Remus_

 

_\-----_

 

_Tiresias Smethwyck sends his friend Draco Malfoy concerned greetings_

_Your letters have been both slow and brief of late. Are you well?_

_Tiresias_

 

_\-----_

 

_Draco,_

_I need a reply to my last letter by Thursday if I'm to represent you well at the next session._

_Andromeda Tonks_

 

_\-----_

 

_Draco,_

_I don't care how much chocolate it takes, I'll see you on Saturday. So you'd better be ready to tell me what's wrong._

_Sirius_

 

_\-----_

 

_To his friend Draco Malfoy, Tiresias Smethwyck sends worried greetings and regretful apologies_

_I must first confess that, worried for you, I recently wrote to your aunt to confirm your well-being. Ordinarily, I would not have done so, but I had received no word from you for some time, and poor communications for a while before that. She told me only that you are in acceptable physical health, but that your mood was somewhat depressed - I hope you will not be too angry at her for doing so. I admit, I believe my reasoning was valid and would not change what I did; nevertheless, I imposed upon your privacy, and for that, I sincerely apologise and beg your forgiveness._

_If it is acceptable to you, I would like to arrange to visit you, so that I may better reassure myself, and perhaps offer some warmth to counteract the winter chill that makes all our moods a little duller. Your reply need not be of any length - simply give me permission, and I will visit as soon as I can._

_Your friend,_

_Tiresias_


	18. Spring

_To his friend Draco Malfoy, Tiresias Smethwyck sends greetings and good wishes_

_I have continued to think since our meeting on how to distract you from what are, indeed, dismal surroundings. And so this letter will first address matters that we spoke of on Sunday, and then offer some intellectual exercises - homework, if you will - to occupy you._

_Firstly, the matter of your health. It is true, as you said, that many have died within Azkaban's walls, some even since the reforms. However, I would argue that Dementor exposure and poor general living conditions make the situation prior to the reforms so different from your own that those deaths ought not to be considered. Let us consider, then, the specific case of the late Lord Nott. Unlike yourself, he was in his later years; he had experienced significant curse damage over his life; he had no prospect of release; and he was in the maximum security section. You are young, healthy, due to be released in less than four months, and afforded privileges he was not. Therefore, I see no reason to believe that his condition will be yours._

_Fix your mind upon the time remaining, Draco - less than four months, and you will be free. You have been there for more than twice that already; you can last the rest. Further, the weather is improving now that spring has begun, which will improve the conditions there. If you wish to work to protect your health, I recommend regular exercise. The work will strengthen you, and the exertion will tire you so that you sleep more easily. Perhaps Lord Black, or your cousin Tonks, will know exercises that may be done indoors - I am certain he underwent physical training for his early profession._

 

 _Secondly, the matter of the House of Malfoy. Your father, Lord of that House, may very well survive for decades yet, which is, I know, somewhat ambivalent news. I think it likely that your mother, Lady of that House, will live to be released, though more than a decade remains of her sentence. I do_ not _believe it is in your best interests to remain Heir Malfoy for the duration of the time it takes for your parents' situations to resolve. If you are to build your own life, you must do so either as Lord Malfoy, or independently of that House; you cannot afford to be seen as under your father's authority._

_Assuming that you do not choose to abandon your natal House (see below for discussion of House Black), how would you go about claiming the Lordship of Malfoy? Well, as acknowledged and long-standing Heir, you have an advantage; you have further advantage that there is no relative (other than your parents) to contest that claim. There are two ways, then, that the matter may proceed: with your father's consent, or without it. Before you object, consider this - you are the acknowledged Heir of Malfoy, raised by your father in the traditions of that House, and you have performed well in every sphere he would expect of his Heir (excluding how the war may influence that accounting). There is no legal escape from Azkaban for your father; either the lordship will lie fallow in his hands, or it will pass to you. I think it a genuine possibility that he would agree to abdicate his place in your favour, and I think you should investigate the matter when you have the opportunity._

 

 _Thirdly, the matter of the House of Black. I will be brief, and save the rest of my thoughts for a future letter: through your mother, for the years between the wars, you were the only son of the House of Black in the public sphere, and I think that you_ should _have a voice in shaping that House. But in the near future, you will need to decide how to resolve the relationship between your maternal and paternal Houses, and the position you hold between them, and it is not unreasonable for Lord Black to plan for your primary loyalties to be elsewhere._

 

_Finally, some questions for you to ponder. What would be necessary for other students to be able to study Hogwarts subjects by distance as you did? In your teaching of Ms Granger, do you believe you discovered sufficient material for a course for Muggleborn students? If Hogwarts were to open a public portrait gallery as is being planned, how might it be staffed and funded?_

 

_Your friend,_

_Tiresias Smethwyck_

 

\-----

 

_To his friend Draco Malfoy, Tiresias Smethwyck sends warm greetings and good wishes_

_Your father may very well resent your choices at the end of the war, but consider that he has now had close to two years of imprisonment to contemplate the future. Unlike in the last war, he is not free to influence and negotiate as he will. His only agency is through those willing to represent him and his interests, and there are very few of those. You have (or will have) power that he wants, and more than anyone else still politically active, you are likely to act for the benefit of his House. He may not agree, but I think it is worth the asking._

_Regarding the House of Black, do you want to be considered for the Heir because you want to be the Heir, or because you disapprove of the other candidates? Consider your feelings and reasoning carefully. You cannot achieve what you want without knowing what it is._

_Regarding the gallery, private donations may very well be used to cover establishment costs, but they are not a reliable way to fund staffing. Based on what I have seen in my travels, the institution would need at the very least a director and a historian, even were the caretaking to be done by house elves. Furthermore, there would be security issues to be addressed. How would you manage movement to and from the gallery?_

_Tiresias_

 

_\-----_

 

_Draco,_

_I think a course on wizarding society is_ absolutely _needed for muggleborns. Harry and I were lucky to have Ron helping us, and obviously I read as much as I could, but there's still an awful lot that I didn't know I didn't know until you started teaching me. It places muggleborns at a disadvantage, and makes it harder to protect wizarding traditions. Muggle Studies needs practically a complete rewrite already, of course, but there_ should _be something going the other way, to create understanding between the two groups._

_Hermione_

 

_\-----_

 

_Greetings to Draco Malfoy from Tiresias Smethwyck,_

_Are they really so unsuitable? Perhaps not Harry, but Andromeda is Lord Black's first cousin, raised in the House of Black. Member of the Order of Hecate, founder of the Magical Integration Alliance. She is clearly politically adept and powerfully connected. And Teddy is Lord Black's first cousin twice removed, and the Blacks are heavily involved in looking after him.  If he is chosen as Heir, he can be trained for that position during his childhood. You can be involved in that, as you've been involved in his life so far. Why shouldn't one of them be Heir Black?_

_Recall the muggle museums you visited last year - you told me they were not merely a collection of artefacts presented to the visitor, but that each room presented stories and themes. Surely for the Hogwarts Portrait Gallery to inspire visitors, it is better to aim for something like that?_

_Tiresias Smethwyck_

 

_\-----_

 

_To her nephew Draco Malfoy, Andromeda Tonks sends greetings and good wishes_

_It's good to hear from you, and better to hear that your mood is improving. I have been quite concerned about you._

_I have continued all your affairs in the patterns you have previously directed, avoiding any major changes. Where I have been unsure, I have chosen conservatively, or found means to postpone action. I look forward discussing your affairs in more detail when you are released._

_At your request, Sirius accompanied me to visit my sister. It was...rather tense. For your sake, I am pleased to report that Narcissa is in good health and remains sensible. She supports your idea, and believes Lucius will agree to it - perhaps not immediately, but she thinks it worth asking him several times. I will discuss strategy with you another time._

_Personally, I think a division from your father is valuable, but I recommend that you take up a visible project that is distinct from the name of Malfoy as well, to help you make a name for yourself individually. Publishing Master Snape's book was a good start. Is there anything that you're drawn to that I can look into for you?_

_Andromeda Tonks_

 

\-----

_Greetings to Draco Malfoy from his friend Tiresias Smethwyck,_

_I will leave it to your friend Hermione Granger to debate with you the prejudices that lead you to believe the wife of a Muggle and the grandson of a Muggle without an acknowledged father are unsuitable candidates for Lordship. Suffice it to say, I do not agree._

_If I may, I believe that some of your anxieties regarding your maternal House might be best addressed by considering what your relationship to that House will become once you attain your lordship. What will be the relationship between Malfoy and Black, and how will that affect the ties between yourself and Sirius, Andromeda, and their families? There are several possibilities, not all of them equally desirable, and not all of them equally likely._

_First, each House nominally independent. In a situation that is undefined, public opinion will prevail, and the public opinion will be that you are subject to the House of Black. House Malfoy, I believe, would be weakened as a result._

_Second, a formal friendship. This, I think, is the most likely result if you did not act to change the situation. You will grow out of Andromeda's guardianship, eventually take up your lordship, and distance yourself somewhat from House Black. It would be simple to recognise their assistance to you with an agreement of friendship. I think the external interpretations of this would be varied, and many would imagine the relationship to be unequal._

_Third, an equal alliance. I don't think Sirius would suggest this; you would need to be proactive in pursuing it. I think it would have quite an impact on perceptions of House Malfoy, although the implications would be complex and require further discussion._

_Fourth, an unequal alliance, in which House Malfoy agrees to support House Black. If you felt that the political position of House Malfoy needed bolstering, this would be one method of improving your standing in the eyes of the progressives. I don't believe this would be a good permanent position for House Malfoy, but it would not damage the House for it to last as long as you're comfortable with it._

_Fifth, House Malfoy to become a subordinate branch of House Black. I consider this extremely unlikely, based on my knowledge of the current Lord Black, and it also has few advantages._

_Sixth, the joining of House Black and House Malfoy into one. This, I think, is only likely to happen should the heirs of Malfoy and Black be one person for two generations - however, were you to be both Heir Malfoy and Heir Black, I think many people would act as if this were the case. Further, I believe public perception would be that Malfoy had been absorbed into Black._

_What is your opinion on these matters?_

_Tiresias Smethwyck_

 

\-----

 

_Greetings from Andromeda Tonks to her nephew Draco Malfoy_

_I hadn’t realised that there was serious interest in the project – you said that the Headmistress has authorised Professor Roth to manage it? Has there been any discussion by the school board? From my memories of the school, such an undertaking would be enormous. What has been done so far?_

_Andromeda Tonks_

 

\-----

 

_To Draco Malfoy, Tiresias Smethwyck sends greetings_

_If you are determined for House Malfoy to remain independent, as is your right to decide, then you must act in pursuit of that goal. Let House Black conduct their own affairs without your interference; treat them as your family and friends – which indeed they are – but forge your own path. House Malfoy must make a new name for itself, neither the power behind the Minister, nor the political support of Voldemort’s agenda. It is for you to determine what the fame of your house will become._

_Tiresias Smethwyck_

_\-----_

_Professor Felix Roth sends greetings to Draco Malfoy,_

_It’s a pleasure to hear from you, Mr Malfoy. I must confess that I have made indifferent progress on the gallery during the school term, though I have at least recruited the aid of some of my students in cataloguing the portraits. I flatter myself that my changes to the history curriculum have garnered a little more care for the subject than it has received in the recent past, but I certainly have been well-occupied by my work._

_After consideration of the several barriers there are to establishing such an institution, I believe that a trial on a smaller scale would be useful to garner public interest and approval for the endeavour. Therefore I have proposed to Headmistress McGonagall the preparation of a temporary exhibition in the viaduct entrance and the portrait gallery, to be opened on the 1 st of July, and to remain open until August 31st. As students will be absent from the school, most of the security concerns may be avoided, and the reduced scope of a temporary gallery will allow for a smaller workload. I intend to invite those sixth and seventh years who have impressed me to join me after the conclusion of the school year, to assist with the preparations. Would you like to join us, once you are at liberty to do so?_

_Professor Roth_

_\-----_

_To Draco Malfoy, greetings and congratulations from your friend Tiresias Smethwyck_

_No, I had nothing to do with the offer. (Though I was aware of his general plans, and hoped you would be included.) You have impressed him all on your own. Have you ever thought about taking on an apprenticeship?_

_Tiresias_

_\-----_

_Greetings to Draco Malfoy from Tiresias Smethwyck_

_It’s a completely reasonable possibility to consider. Just because you’re heir to a lordship doesn’t mean you can’t take up a trade. It need not be history – certainly you would be a good candidate for further studies in potions or transfiguration. Or you could take up studies too specialised for Hogwarts. Alchemy, or enchantment, or artificing, for example._

_Tiresias_

_\-----_

_Greetings to Draco Malfoy, Heir Malfoy, from Daphne Greengrass, daughter of House Greengrass_

_Merry Mayday to you as well, from me and from Theo. We were very glad to hear from you, though we’re sorry that the winter was so unpleasant for you. You’re in good health in general, aren’t you?_

_Daphne Greengrass_

_\-----_

_Merry Mayday, Draco. Sorry, can’t write much – everything’s bloody busy now the weather’s finally good enough to do the work, and I’ve got lambs to look after. If you write back this time, I’ll send you a proper letter._

_Millicent_

_\-----_

_To her nephew Draco Malfoy, Andromeda Tonks sends greetings and good wishes_

_Opening it during the summer makes more sense than trying to implement it all at once. I think that assisting Professor Roth is an excellent opportunity for you – you’ll have a chance to build new social connections, or renew old ones, and there’s nothing like a shared project to help people get along. Please don’t feel obligated to immediately take on the whole of the Malfoy affairs; I haven’t at all minded being your steward._

_And Merry Mayday to you as well – I haven’t thought about that one in years, with Ted not celebrating it. Perhaps we can all make something of it next year._

_Andromeda Tonks_

_\-----_

_To Draco Malfoy, Tiresias Smethwyck sends greetings_

_It’s an interesting question, isn’t it? Why has Halloween persisted so strongly, and Mayday faded away? Similarly, why is midwinter so celebrated, and midsummer widely ignored? The simple answer is muggle influence – they celebrate Halloween and Christmas, but not Mayday or Midsummer. But a more complex answer, I believe, could be found by looking to the Christian calendar. Perhaps you might ask Professor Roth his opinion at some stage._

_Regardless, a belated merry Mayday to you._

_Tiresias Smethwyck_

_\-----_

_I suppose I did promise a proper letter if you wrote me one. Yes, I think I made the right choice starting an apprenticeship. The Menagerie’s a great place to work and learn, even if my parents think it’s ‘unbefitting of a daughter of Bulstrode’. No one thinks I’m too big out here, or not lady-like enough. I’m learning how to do_ useful _things with what we studied in school, not just making fruit dance and turning hedgehogs into teapots. It’s hard work, I’ll tell you that, and I reckon in just about any apprenticeship, the first year is frustrating, but at the end of the day I’ve helped lambs get born and learnt to swear from a jarvey, so I’m satisfied._

_John – Master Davies, who I’m technically apprentice of – says I’m doing well and I’m ready to start working with the herds once we get through shearing season. The thing about Beast-Handling, see, is that there’s such a variety of animals that you’ve basically got to start with a general specialty and branch out from there. The Menagerie runs apprenticeships in large animal handling, with enough broad experience that you can start as a journeyman straight away in a couple of other fields. Did you know you can’t apprentice in dragon-taming? You can only study them as a journeyman, because they’re so dangerous. So if I finished an apprenticeship here, I could do a journeyman year on dragons, or I could go somewhere else and study freshwater creatures, or marine, or small animals, or ones from a different part of the world. Or I could do animal healing or something, but I think I prefer the heavy work._

_The thing is, when I started my apprenticeship, it felt like I was finishing something. Like once the apprenticeship was done, I’d know what I needed to know. But it’s opened up all these different possibilities, all these things I can do that_ aren’t _settling down as Miss Bulstrode until my parents find a girl that they’re happy for me to marry. I’m not even twenty, there’s no reason to think I’ll be a head of household before I’m thirty – why shouldn’t I travel, and learn, and do incredible things? Fuck tradition._

_Millicent_

_\-----_

_Draco,_

_You write very strange letters sometimes. Wanting to know about Harry and Neville? I wouldn’t have thought you’d ever say so. But since you asked nicely and promised to be polite, okay._

_You know already that Harry’s studying snake-charming in India, everyone knows that. And Neville’s doing Herbology of course, with a Master in New Zealand. I think they’re both glad they decided to travel rather than study locally; it’s given them a different perspective on things, and for Harry, an escape from the press._

_As for what they’re studying specifically, Harry started off with just snake handling, since he didn’t grow up learning about snakes like people in India do. He could come home with an accreditation in that pretty soon if he wanted, and he did consider it, but he’s decided to do the full apprenticeship, so he can learn enough to safely breed snakes at home. Neville spent a long time working with non-magical plants – he barely used a wand in his first year – and now he’s learning how to figure out what sort of care an unknown plant needs. Both of them have said that at Hogwarts they missed out on scientific knowledge that everyone uses where they are._

_Does that answer your question?_

_Hermione Granger_

_\-----_

_Lord Theodore Nott sends greetings to Draco Malfoy, Heir Malfoy_

_Am I apprenticed? No. Is it because I am Head of House Nott? Yes. Do I think that lordship is incompatible with apprenticeship? No._

_To explain further: I have for some years intended to pursue further studies in enchantment or spell creation, which I doubt will surprise you. However, by my graduation from Hogwarts, my father was awaiting a near-certain conviction, leaving me the de facto Lord Nott. If my House was to survive the post-war turmoil, it was imperative that I give it my entire focus. Political matters have begun to settle now, and will do so further after my marriage to Daphne later this year, and I am hopeful that I will be able to take up an apprenticeship some time in the next few years._

_There will, by necessity, be modifications to the standard arrangements. I cannot leave my wife at home to live with my teacher. I cannot devote my full attention to my studies. I cannot afford to be seen letting someone dictate my choices and actions._

_I assume you asked because you yourself are considering an apprenticeship?_

_Lord Theo Nott_

_\-----_

_To Draco Malfoy, Tiresias Smethwyck sends greetings_

_As I understand it, no, the Wizengamot has not yet fully settled. The conservative alliance was gutted, of course, but the progressives were shaken up dramatically by the events of the war as well. The Black-Potter-Longbottom group has attracted a lot of attention, of course, but their agenda is different in some key respects from the pre-war progressive group. Where Dumbledore and his allies espoused tolerance, Black has called for communication, alliance, and integration. Understandably, there are a number of Houses that are uneasy with this, but there is no strong leader in the middle. With the backbone of the conservatives gone and public opinion hypervigilant about extremists, few are willing to speak up and argue a conservative point. The result is that opinions expressed in the Wizengamot are mostly muted and non-committal, except for Black’s, but that the voting is neutral to conservative.  I suspect it is a frustrating deadlock for all concerned._

_Tiresias Smethwyck_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's longer as Draco starts to get more active with his correspondence. His sentence is almost up - next chapter will be the end of his time in Azkaban!


	19. Summer

_Draco,_

_Happy birthday! We'll hold a proper party in a few weeks when you get out. I'll see you on the weekend._

_Sirius_

 

_(Happy birthday from me too - Remus)_

 

_\-----_

 

_Dear Draco,_

_You're a terrible letter-writer, but happy birthday anyway. I expect to deliver my gift in person, so you'd better owl me an invitation to something soon._

_Pansy Parkinson_

 

_\-----_

 

_Happy birthday, Draco_

_Millicent_

 

_\-----_

 

_To Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott and Daphne Greengrass send birthday greetings_

_If you'd like to hold a birthday celebration once you have the ability to reunite with our school friends, we would be happy to host for you._

_Happy birthday._

_Theo & Daphne_

 

_\-----_

 

_Happy birthday, Draco. It's a little absurd, but I'm looking forward to seeing you._

_Hermione_

 

_\-----_

 

_Andromeda Tonks sends birthday greetings and good wishes to her nephew Draco Malfoy._

_Happy birthday from all of us - Ted, Nymphadora, Teddy and I. We're looking forward to seeing you soon._

_Is there anything in particular you'd like me to arrange before your release? You're welcome to stay with us, of course, but if you'd rather be at Grimmauld Place or Malfoy Manor or somewhere else, I can see about having your things moved over._

_Andromeda Tonks_

 

_\-----_

 

_To Draco Malfoy, your friend Tiresias Smethwyck sends birthday greetings_

_Congratulations, Draco, on enduring the trial that the past year has been. I cannot attend you in person, with there being so much marking for me to do right now, but once term is over (and your term in Azkaban is too), I would be very pleased to visit you at your convenience, to celebrate your birthday in whatever way you prefer._

_Please find enclosed the business card of my cousin Alexandra, who is a tailor by trade. I have arranged fifteen galleons credit with her for you, which you are welcome to spend as you like._

_Happy birthday,_

_Tiresias_

 

_\-----_

 

_To Draco Malfoy, Daphne Greengrass sends greetings_

_No, I don't think it's conceited. Your proposal is to fit acknowledgement of your birthday into our midsummer celebrations, not to override the festivities. How about the following: Theo and I invite yourself, Pansy, Millicent, Tracey, Blaise, Vincent, and Gregory to share a late afternoon tea with us, at which time we can celebrate your birthday, and then we can invite a larger group to join us for a midsummer bonfire in the evening. It will give you an opportunity to reintegrate with proper society without the focus being on you - only for goodness' sake, make sure you don't wear black. It makes you look like a ghost._

_Do you agree to the plan? Please reply quickly, as we must send out invitations soon if anyone is to come._

_Daphne Greengrass_

 

_\-----_

 

_To Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson sends fond greetings_

_What's this I hear about birthday tea at the Nott's? Was it your idea, Theo's, or Daphne's?_

_Pansy_

 

_\-----_

 

 _She's absolutely right, don't even think of it. Leaving aside how it washes you out, think of the associations!_ No-one _wears black now, not on its own, except for Black. No, grey for neutrals and green for Malfoy colours. Consider including some blues and purples for variety, or fawn. But no black waistcoats, no black jackets, no black robes. I absolutely forbid it._

_Pansy_

 

_\-----_

 

_Draco,_

_I completely understand, even if I think you're rushing yourself a bit. I can even sneak you to a barber's before I take you home, if you'd rather that. But about the clothes, a word to the wise - you might gain a little weight once you're getting good food again, so I'd charm what you've got rather than going to the tailors straight away._

_Sirius_

 

_\-----_

 

_Tiresias Smethwyck sends greetings to his friend Draco Malfoy_

_I'd better not send any letters after this one, since I know the guards take a while to check them. Good luck with the next few days. I look forward to hearing from you after your return home._

_Tiresias_

\-----

 

When Draco stepped out from Azkaban's walls for the first time in twelve months, wand in hand, Sirius was waiting for him in the chilly morning air. "Baby cousin!" he called out, grinning obnoxiously, bounding up to Draco and ruffling his hair. "Let's go get you a bath and a hot breakfast, hey?"

"Sirius!" Draco sputtered, attempting (unsuccessfully) to duck away from Sirius' hold. "For fuck's sake, let me go."

"Nope," Sirius replied cheerfully, though he did change his headlock to a simple arm around Draco's shoulders. "You're starved for human contact, you are. Live with it." 

Reluctantly, Draco gave in, letting Sirius manhandle him down to the jetty. ('Starved for human contact' - nonsense. That had nothing to do with it.) 

Sirius, thankfully, didn't comment, just kept up a chatty stream of conversation as they travelled over the water. "I've got us a room booked in the Leaky," he said, once they'd disembarked at the guarded docking point. "You okay for a Side-Along?"

Draco glanced at him sideways, and nodded. "I suppose," he conceded.

 

\-----

 

The first spell Draco used after getting out was a neatening charm. The second spell was activating two Howlers to record (with Sirius studiously ignoring him in the background).

"Hello," he said, looking at the red paper. "It's Draco. I've been let go from Azkaban, and I'm okay. I'll see you at Theo and Daphne's party, but if you want to visit sooner, you can tell me so and I'll arrange it. I hope you're well."

He tapped the Howlers with his wand to end the spell, feeling oddly drained, then folded them up and picked up a quill to address them.  _Gregory Goyle_ , he wrote on one, and  _Vincent Crabbe_  on the other, then marked them both with the dragon sigil that would tell them the letter was from him before they opened it. Hopefully it would stop them worrying - surely they'd worried? They'd barely heard from him in three years. 

He set the letters aside for Tom to take when the man collected the breakfast tray and retreated to the bathroom. He could deal with his friends later; right now, he intended to enjoy the first hot bath he'd had since last June.

 

When the water began to cool, Draco got out and dried off with a large, fluffy towel, and started to dress himself in the clothes Sirius had left for him – only to pull up short when he saw the jumper. The shirt and trousers were nondescript and perfectly acceptable, but why had Sirius brought him a jumper in  _July?_  The wool was dark green and soft, and it looked as if it would fit him, but…knowing Sirius, Draco expected a prank. He picked it up, draping it over his arm for now, and used his wand to turn his hair a generic mid-brown. It wouldn’t disguise him against close examination, but he’d found that without the distinctive hair colour, most people didn’t notice him in the first place.

 

Satisfied with his appearance, Draco opened the bathroom door, only to stumble on the threshold, feeling suddenly faint.

“Whoa!” Sirius exclaimed, jumping up and coming over to steady him. “Alright there, Draco?”

Draco nodded, blinking hard as his vision swam. “Just...a bit dizzy all of a sudden,” he panted, clinging to Sirius’ arm.

“Well that just bumped the healer up the list,” Sirius muttered, helping Draco over to the bed. “Here. Sit down. I’ll get you some water.”

Draco sat, but shook his head. “I’m sure I’m fine,” he said, leaning his elbows on his knees. “I don’t need to see a healer.”

Sirius snorted and rolled his eyes. “After a year in Azkaban? You’re at least getting a check-up.” He conjured a glass and filled it using the aguamenti charm, holding it out. “Here.”

Draco shook his head again, feeling slightly steadier, and took the glass to hide the slight tremor in his hands. What if something  _was_  wrong? “I can’t look weak,” he insisted.

“Better to look weak than  _be_  weak,” Sirius pointed out, sitting down next to him and wrapping an arm around Draco’s shoulders. “Look, I’m not going to take you to St Mungo’s and announce to all and sundry that you’re there. We’re just going to stop in at the clinic off the Alley and get you a basic check-up.” He sighed, then added, “And if you haven’t seen one by the time we get home, I’m sure Andy or Ted will insist on doing the honours. Would you prefer that?”

“Don’t want their pity,” Draco admitted quietly, looking even paler. “You know what that’s like. So does, ah…Lupin.”

Sirius raised his eyebrows. “You can call him Remus, you know. You’re more or less family by now.”

 

Three years ago, Draco would have scoffed at the idea of being a werewolf’s family. Two years ago, he would have flinched. Now, he just gave a resigned chuckle. “I’ll call him Remus when the two of you make it official, how about that?”

Sirius stiffened slightly, and when Draco looked at him, he seemed unusually…tentative. “We may not, you know,” he said quietly. “Remus has never really been…interested in the idea of marriage.”

Draco sat up, abruptly distracted from his problems by his curiosity. “He isn’t?” he asked, setting the glass aside. “But you’re a Lord! You can’t  _not_  marry – how would you have an heir?”

“I thought  _you_  were planning to be my heir,” Sirius said dryly, raising his eyebrows. “Given up on the idea?”

Embarrassed, Draco said stiffly, “I determined that I would serve my paternal House better if I were not distracted by the needs of my maternal one.”

Sirius laughed, shaking his head. “I was just teasing you, pup,” he said warmly. “No, I’ve talked to Tonks about it, and she said she’s happy for Teddy to be raised as Heir Black. She doesn’t mind him having two last names.”

“You don’t mind that he’s not your son?” Draco asked.

“He doesn’t have to be my son to be my family,” Sirius said, with a shrug. “James was at least as much my brother as Regulus was, and that had nothing to do with blood.”

“And you didn’t choose Harry?”

Sirius turned, meeting Draco’s gaze. “Harry is my godson, and yes, I consider him my nephew,” he said seriously. “But it would be disrespectful to you and Andy to give the House to him when you have so much closer ties to the Black family. He’s also in the same position as you – he has his own House to think about. Yes, Harry will inherit things from me that I might have otherwise given to my children, but they’ll be from Sirius, not Lord Black. And unless Remus changes his mind about marriage, it’ll be the same for him.”

Draco’s eyes widened. “Really?” he asked incredulously. “Not even a place to live?”

“He won’t thank me for offering him a dower,” Sirius pointed out dryly. “You should have heard the argument when I said I’d pay for his Wolfsbane. Remus doesn’t like charity; never has. At least he’s not insisting on paying rent.”

“He shares your bloody bedroom!” Draco burst out, then blushed. “…sorry.”

Sirius just laughed. “Believe me, he’s aware.”

 

Draco eyed him narrowly. “…your puns are just as dreadful as ever,” he muttered. “And speaking of which, what’s with the jumper? It’s not cold out.”

Sirius grinned widely. “Molly sends her love.”

“Molly - !” Draco’s mouth dropped open. “Molly  _Weasley!_ ” He brandished the sweater at Sirius. “Am I holding a custom-made  _Weasley Christmas sweater?_ ”

“Well, more a birthday sweater, really,” Sirius replied conversationally. “Andy talks about you with her tea friends, you know.”

“Her  _tea friends?”_  Draco’s voice got even more high pitched. “Her  _tea friends_  are the bloody  _Order of Hecate!_  Her  _tea friends_  are Molly Weasley, Amelia Bones, Augusta Longbottom, and  _Professor bloody McGonagall!”_

Sirius burst out laughing. “You realise that out of all those women, the only one you gave a title was a school teacher?”

“I’d like to see  _you_  call her just a school teacher to her face!” Draco hissed.

Sirius’ laughter turned into guffaws. “Your  _face_ ,” he gasped. “Oh, I wish I had a camera. I’ll have to pensieve this later so Moony can see.”

“Don’t. You. Dare.”

 

\-----

 

Healer Smith was businesslike, straightforward, and thorough, briskly doing both a physical exam and a magical one as he questioned Draco about his symptoms and concerns.

“Well,” he said at last, “from what I can tell, this is easy enough to explain, and to fix, although I usually see it in muggleborn children, not wizarding adults.” He hummed. “I suppose as more people survive their Azkaban sentences we’ll see it more often.”

“What is it?” Draco asked with a worried frown. What did muggleborns have in common with Azkaban prisoners?

Smith smiled reassuringly. “You did an excellent job maintaining your muscle tone, young man, but it’s rather more difficult to keep your core exercised when you can’t use magic. The light-headedness you felt was simple overexertion after a long period without a wand. And no wonder – self-transfiguration after a year of nothing? I’m impressed you managed it, frankly.”

“And how do you fix it?”

“Well,” Smith said, putting his wand away and clasping his hands, “I’m afraid that the best solution is simply patience and practice. Start with first year spells, and work your way up over time. If you find yourself feeling tired or faint, rest. For muggleborns after summer, they’re usually capable of normal activity levels after a week or two. I think that in your case…it may take a few months to return to the magical strength you were used to, but it may also be less.”

Draco realised he was clutching at his wand, and forced his fingers to loosen. “You mean I’ve spent twelve months not doing magic and I’m supposed to wait  _longer?”_

“Not at all,” Smith said, shaking his head. “In fact, I encourage you to use your magic regularly, particularly passive uses such as potions, Floo powder, and broom-flight. Yes, it may take some time before conjuration and advanced transfiguration stops tiring you so much, and I  _strongly_  suggest you avoid apparition for at least the next month, but you are perfectly capable of household charms as long as you do them one at a time, pay attention to any signs of fatigue, and don’t strain yourself.”

“I see,” Draco said, trying not to let his shoulders slump. He just wanted to get  _on_  with his life, but it looked like that would have to wait. “Is there anything else I should know?”

Smith shook his head. “Nothing major. You’re a little underweight, and show some other signs of an imperfect diet, but as long as you eat well, with plenty of vegetables, I imagine you’ll recover admirably without further intervention.” He made a copy of the results from Draco’s scans, folded it up, and sealed it. “Unless there is any subsequent cause for concern, I suggest you have another check-up in a month, and as long as your results have improved, I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

Draco stood, taking the parchment, and bowed. “Thank you for your services, then, Healer Smith,” he said formally. “I appreciate your…discretion, regarding my background.”

“Nonsense,” Smith said, giving him a hearty smile. “There’s a cousin of mine – twice removed, in fact – who’s only your age, and he was an obnoxious little bugger when he was sixteen. Far as I’m concerned, you had to make an adult’s choices when you were too young to really understand the consequences, but once you did, you took responsibility as an adult and made the best of it that you could. You won’t get any trouble from me, and I doubt I’m the only one to think so.”

 

\-----

 

“You cut your hair!” Andromeda exclaimed as soon as she saw him, then turned on Sirius. “Sirius! You didn’t bring him straight back?”

Sirius shrugged, hands in his pockets.  “He just got out of Azkaban, Andy,” he pointed out. “The man wants a haircut, he can have a haircut.”

Andromeda rolled her eyes, stepping back to hurry them in. “He’d better have had a check-up and something to eat as well,” she muttered.

“He did!”

Once they were all inside, Andromeda pulled Draco into a tight hug. “Welcome back,” she said warmly. “We thought you’d like a chance to rest before we made a fuss of you, so it’s just me and Teddy at the moment. Do you want to say hello?”

Draco paused.  _Did_  he want to see Teddy? Part of him wanted to just collapse on his own bed and enjoy the peace and quiet. But… “He won’t mind that I missed his birthday, will he?”

Andromeda pulled back and smiled at him. “He’s too young to understand birthdays yet,” she told him. “Just…he’s also too young to have a very good memory. He might not recognise you.”

Draco’s heart sank a little, but he supposed it had always been a possibility. Teddy had really been just a baby when he left. “That’s alright,” he said, trying to sound sure. “He’ll just have to meet me all over again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is almost done! Not that this is the end of Draco's story, of course - you'll hear more about him in other installments in the Correspondence series. But for now, there's just a couple more chapters to wrap up, which I'll post over the weekend. Let me know what you think!


	20. Slytherins

Draco looked around the parlour at his old house-mates, taking in the ways they’d changed over the last few years.

Theo’s robes were black, of course, as was appropriate for the formal mourning period, but they were a more elegant cut than even the best-fitted school robes could be, and made him look lean rather than gangly. Daphne was utterly the lady of the manor, even if she and Theo hadn’t made it official yet. Her chestnut curls were elegantly pinned up, and her rich blue dress paid subtle homage to House Nott. The two of them sat side by side on the loveseat, and though they were a picture of decorum, to Draco, their affection was obvious.

Blaise still hadn’t learnt to sit in a chair properly, but he’d perfected a casually elegant sprawl and was somehow managing to drink his tea with one leg slung over the arm of his armchair. His robes were a rich ochre colour, in utter defiance of the trend to sober colours among most younger ex-Slytherins, but against his skin tone, it looked good. Draco would probably look like a nauseous pumpkin in that colour, not that he was about to try it and find out.

Pansy was wearing an equally shocking hot pink, even if the cut was traditional. It actually suited her, a lot better than lighter shades had, and if Draco was right she’d developed a finer touch with her make-up. She seemed more confident in herself now, her gaze sharp and incisive, and she made less of an act out of being ‘girly’…perhaps she just felt better able to be ‘ladylike’ instead.

Millicent, meanwhile, seemed to be taking her rebellion to extremes. She was wearing dress robes, of course, but open ones that revealed a waistcoat and a pair of wide-legged, flowing pants. It looked surprisingly good on her, actually. Much more natural than a gown ever had. And her hair! It was almost as short as Draco’s! But nevertheless, she looked comfortable and at ease in the manor parlour, sharing tea with two women that couldn’t look more different. Apparently the apprenticeship really  _had_  done her good.

Greg looked…well, Draco was trying not to look at him or Vince too hard. He’d hated leaving them at Hogwarts, even if bringing them would have been worse. He had no idea how they’d made it through their NEWTS, even if they’d only been trying for four of them. They needed help with book work, they just did. And without him there, who’d been helping them?

 

\-----

 

Later, once Daphne had led the rest of the group out to the grounds to set up the bonfire, Draco had his chance to talk to the two of them in private. “Did you get my letters?” he asked. “How have you been?”

Vince nodded. “Thanks for sending them,” he said. “We were worried. It was weird, not being with you.” He looked…healthy enough. He’d grown into his frame a bit more, adding on extra muscle. He must have visited a decent tailor, though, because his robes were high quality and well fitted, if plain – eminently suitable for the Heir of a minor noble House.

“Yeah,” Greg agreed. Was he even taller now? “We saw photos after the fight at Hogwarts. Sorry we weren’t there to protect you.”

“I’m not,” Draco said bluntly. “It was awful, and that was with Uncle Sev trying to help. He couldn’t have protected you too.” It was one thing he’d been glad of, in those months at the Manor – that his friends were safe at Hogwarts, out of the Dark Lord’s reach. “If I could have been there to help you with seventh year instead, I would have.”

Greg shrugged a bit. “We failed Defence, both of us,” he admitted. “Professor Smethwyck told us we didn’t need to take each other’s subjects, but you told us to stick together, so we dropped Charms instead.”

Draco’s heart sank. He’d thought they could make it, maybe. “What about the other two?”

“We passed those,” Vince said with a smile. “Professor Sprout helped a lot, and Grubbly-Plank was fair even though she’s a Gryffindor. Millicent even helped a bit.”

“Vince got an EE on the Herbology practical,” Greg added proudly.

Relieved, Draco beamed at them both. “That’s fantastic!” he said warmly. “Congratulations! And I suppose you’ve done your farm years already?” It was tradition for all sons of the Crabbe family to spend a year after their graduation working in the woodlands their family managed, and the Goyles did the same with their sheep farms up in the mountains.

Vince nodded. “And then our mums said we should spend a year with the manufacturing part, so we did that too.”

 

"Oh, Merlin," Draco said, looking between the two of them in sudden realisation, "have your mothers been managing the estates?" Lady Crabbe and Lady Goyle were both lovely women and reasonably intelligent, but they'd been excluded from estate affairs prior to the war, and would have neither the background knowledge nor the influence to make much headway with business negotiations.

Greg shrugged, looking relieved. "We're adults now," he said. "Dad and Mr Crabbe are in Azkaban, and you were too."

"We did what we could," Vince added slowly. "Scribbulus still buys from us. Ollivander doesn't want our wand-wood."

Of course, Draco thought to himself. Andromeda would have managed all the Malfoy affairs that were on paper, but the alliances with the Crabbes and Goyles were a personal matter. "Alright," he decided. "I'll visit each of your estates and help you work out what to do next." He'd find the time somewhere in between helping out at Hogwarts.

The two brightened, shoulders straightening. "Will we be your guards again?" Vince asked hopefully.

Draco smiled at them. "Well, your original period of service was up a couple of years ago," he pointed out. "And that was technically between our fathers, anyway. Do you want to swear service to me now, with how things have changed since the war, and what I said at tea about changing House Malfoy's political stance?"

"Goyles serve Malfoys because they always have," Greg insisted. "Not 'cause of...politics and stuff."

Vince nodded. "I want to," he said. "You always looked after us. You'll be a good lord."

 

Draco cursed his pale skin, feeling a pleased blush warm his cheeks. “I’ll certainly do my best,” he promised. “We can swear it now, if you want?” An oath of service wasn’t a legal matter; it didn’t require witnesses, or paperwork, or a particular setting.

“Yes,” Vince agreed quickly, getting down on his knees and offering up his hands for Draco to hold. Draco took them, watching as Crabbe thought hard for a moment, then recited, slowly but surely, "I swear by my magic and my honour that I will be faithful and loyal to Draco Malfoy, in all things except my sworn duty to my own House. I will love what he loves, and shun what he shuns, and defend him by any means within my power."

Draco blinked. That wasn't service from the heir of one House to the heir of another - that was personal fealty. Rapidly, he changed his planned response to match, and replied, "And I, for my part, swear to be faithful to you, Vincent Crabbe. To protect and defend you, to advise you, and to promote your interests. So I declare, by my magic and my honour." He helped Vince to his feet and embraced him, then looked at Greg. “Do you want to swear the same oath, or a different one?”

Greg shook his head. “The same,” he said firmly, kneeling and offering his hands. He met Draco’s gaze steadily as he repeated, “I swear by my magic and my honour that I will be faithful and loyal to Draco Malfoy, in all things except my sworn duty to my own House. I will love what he loves, and shun what he shuns, and defend him by any means within my power.”

“And I, for my part, swear to be faithful to you, Gregory Goyle,” Draco replied, feeling as if the ground was firming up beneath his feet. “To protect and defend you, to advise you, and to promote your interests. So I declare, by my magic and my honour.”

Draco helped Greg to his feet, embraced him, and gestured for him and Vince to sit down on the couch. “It’s going to take a while to sort everything out, I know,” he said, “but here’s what’s happened since I last saw you…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've chosen to interpret Rowling's depiction of Crabbe and Goyle as them having an intellectual disability. I've done my best to be thoughtful and respectful in my portrayal of them, based on that interpretation, but if I've made a mistake, please let me know
> 
> For the curious: the Crabbe family have mixed coppiced woodlands, primarily of oak trees, because oak galls are the base ingredient of the most popular and long-lasting type of medieval ink. They produce oak-gall ink themselves, and then sell it on to stationery companies (particularly Scribbulus, which is owned by the Malfoys). They also harvest timber for furniture, and have a contract with Ollivander (and private wand-makers) due to the quality and variety of the wood available.
> 
> The sheer quantity of parchment consumed by the magical world necessitates a lot of dead sheep, cows, or goats. The Goyles keep enormous sheep farms for this purpose, although they also sell wool and meat as byproducts. Parchment manufacture is also done by the Goyle family, and the finished product is then sold to Scribbulus and other retailers.


	21. Excerpt from "A Guide to the Wizengamot, Fourth Edition", by Sharazad Shafiq

MALFOY, Noble House of

The House of Malfoy is of Norman origin, and gained recognition in Britain in the eleventh century. They have exclusively intermarried with other wizarding families, maintaining strong ties to the continent as well as to major British Houses of note. The Lords Malfoy have always been sorted into Slytherin, and have frequently been leaders among their peers, typically on a Dark-Neutral alignment. In recent generations, the Malfoys have maintained strong allyships with House Black, House Nott, House Parkinson, House Flint...

 

In addition to holding land in Wiltshire, and additional properties in Normandy, the Malfoy family owns and invests in various business interests. Scribbulus, their stationery supplier based on Diagon Alley, is perhaps their most long-standing venture, which benefits from Malfoy ties to the Crabbe family, which produces oak-gall inks, and the Goyle family, who own substantial sheep farms for the purposes of producing parchment. The Malfoys have also, in past generations, invested in breeding magical creatures...

 

The current Lord Malfoy is Draco Lucius Malfoy, born June 5th 1980 to Lord Lucius Malfoy and Lady Narcissa Malfoy (nee Black). He attended Hogwarts from 1991 to 1996, during which period he maintained the highest marks among his year-mates in Slytherin House, and was consistently in the top three students of his year. From 1992, he was Seeker on the Slytherin quidditch team, at which he also excelled. During his sixth year, he abruptly left Hogwarts...

 

...In the interim period between the end of the war and Lord Lucius Malfoy's abdication in his favour, Draco Malfoy distinguished himself by his serious but unorthodox approach to academic matters. He studied independently for five NEWTS, completing them with high marks within a year, despite his interrupted education, and shortly thereafter published an edited collection of potions recipes by his deceased godfather, Master Severus Snape (son of Eileen Snape, nee Prince). Lord Malfoy has publicly credited Master Snape with his survival of the war, and last year established the Asphodel Potions Bursary in his honour. He has also been heavily involved in the establishment of the Hogwarts Grand Potions Gallery at the executive, financial, and curatorial level. It is believed that this project is what led to the commencement of his apprenticeship with Master of Magical History, Professor Felix Roth.

 

Since attaining his lordship, Draco Malfoy has charted a new political path for House Malfoy. While maintaining many of House Malfoy's alliances (and reinstating an alliance with the newly-progressive House Black), Lord Malfoy took advantage of the post-war power vacuum among the Dark and Neutral factions to establish a new platform campaigning for active promotion of wizarding tradition and culture. Notably, he has pushed for a Wizarding Culture course at Hogwarts...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all, folks! Let me know what you think, and please, ask me your questions! There's a lot that never made it on screen


End file.
